Beginning a Tradition
by Laces Kai
Summary: It's the end of 1904, a year that has been difficult for soul mates Jack Kelly and Jessa Rihan. The New York Times has a new building and the paper is throwing the biggest, loudest party the city has ever seen to usher in 1905. NML Secret Santa for Stress
1. Should All Acquaintance Be Forgot?

**Beginning of a Tradition**

_A Secret Santa Story for Stress _

By Laces

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><p><em>Quick Note from Laces: I read through Stress' Soul Mate Series and this story takes place sometime after (or maybe even during) Can't Keep Running. As Can't Keep Running is not finished, I took some liberties with what I think has happened just from what I got from the beginning. So Stress, I hope you forgive my forwardness of taking your characters and storylines and just sort of running with them but I was SUPER excited about writing this kind of historical story for you. So I hope you enjoy it! I hope all of you enjoy it, but please note this has spoilers for Stress' series and it may also end up being an AU or slightly off from whatever ending Stress does end up writing for Stress &amp; Jack.<em>

_So Happy Holidays, Stress. From Laces. _

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><p><span>Should All Acquaintance Be Forgot? <span>

December 30, 1904

Scratching. The distinct sound of pencils being pushed to their limits echo in the small office of junior reporters David Jacobs and Jack Kelly. The two men were hunched over their desks furiously scratching out words, notes, thoughts or whatever it is swirling around their heads. A half burned cigarette hung from a familiar perch in Jack Kelly's loop sided grin.

In a moment of thoughtless nervous twitching, Jack scratched the back of his neck with the hand that had been steadily holding his notepaper to the desk. His quick pressing of the pencil drove the single sheet of paper away from him and onto the floor in seconds. And in a frustrated huff, Jack flung the pencil across the office. He inhaled the smoke of his cigarette in loudly and David tried to mask a chuckle in a cough as he quietly set down his own pencil.

Neither man would admit it, but they might have been feigning productivity to compete with each other. Whether by accident, or elaborate planning of events, Jack had surrendered first this particular Friday afternoon. The young, ambitious, and slightly over zealous junior reporters had finished their work for the year sometime around noon. Both men had sent their secretaries' home hours ago, two young ladies excited to begin preparing for the weekend festivities. Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Kelly had stayed working on new stories, new ideas, new scribbling that would be started in the New Year. 1905 would be the year when Jack Kelly and David Jacobs would lose the junior from their titles and become full-fledged reporters. At least that is what both men kept hoping.

"What you got over there Dave?" Jack asked casually as he kicked his chair back and settled his shoes on his desk. David rolled his eyes as the devil-may-care posture that Jack still effortlessly fell into made his friend look all of seventeen again.

"Minerva would screech at your shoes on your desk." David commented before pushing his own chair away from his desk and standing. David proceeded to fidget about, working out the stiffness of his neck and shoulders from three hours of hunching over writing.

"It's my desk and this isn't a parlor, it's a reporters office." Jack spat defensively. "Besides, Minerva isn't here."

David smiled and nodded as he noticed the neatness of the two smaller desks at the front of the office. Minerva was Jack Kelly's new secretary, a quiet but frustratingly proper young lady. She good naturally prompted good manners and organization in the tiny office and it was beginning to annoy Mr. Kelly. If the girl wasn't so efficient and well trained as a secretary, Jack might have sacked her already for cramping his working style. But David constantly pointed out Minerva was infinitely less complicated than Jack's previous secretary. The easily excitable and flirtatious Cassandra had almost ended Jack's relationship with the love of his life, Jess Rihan. Secretly, David also believed that Minerva's near obsessive organizing would do his long time friend some good.

"No, she's not. Probably a good thing too, with you smoking like a chimney stack over there." David teased. Minerva had begged Jack to stop smoking in the office and Jack, uncharacteristically, had agreed.

"Didn't have any good ideas then? Or you just acting like Minerva to see if it fits with your delicate disposition? Maybe you could be my secretary." Jack mocked. David shot a glare in Jack's direction as he walked around his desk and traveled over to the pencil his friend had thrown.

"I was still writing when you threw your little tantrum Jack, maybe you're the one that ran out of ideas." David smiled triumphantly. He scooped down to pick up the pencil just as Jack threw another at his friend.

"Stupid mouth. I should have let Spot kill you back when you let it run off with you the first time." Jack muttered darkly. David shook his head whenever Jack started referring to his walking mouth he knew his friend was feeling introspective. It was the same way whenever Jess started referring to Jack as Cowboy; everyone knew Mr. Kelly had infuriated his wife to be. Jess and Jack were really meant for each other.

"Something on your mind Jack?" David asked quietly, as he carefully placed the two thrown pencils on Jack's desk.

"1904 hasn't been a good year Dave." Jack stated. It was a fact, not a thought nor suggestion nor question.

"Well with hardly a day left, I can't say it could cause too much more grief." David tried to laugh away his friend's mood. David knew that 1904 had been one of the worse years Jack had seen in a while, a year filled with misunderstandings, violence and sadness. A year that a seventeen-year-old Jack Kelly, a boy still use to the harshness of his world would have dealt with much more ease than the twenty-five year old Jack Kelly. In the end, Jack had struggled through just like he always had. He didn't lose Jess. He protected her from the crazed Rip, once again. He held her when they mourned the baby. And he had finally convinced her that even after everything, they were meant for each other and she had agreed to marry him. A shameful blush rose to David's cheeks when he remembered the trouble he caused his friend with his own infatuation with Jess. But, it had all turned out all right.

"No, I suppose it can't…" Jack muttered mindlessly. He was starring out the window at a Newsie, shouting a headline from across the street.

"And you are going to marry Stress in 1905? So a good year is coming in." David clasped his hand onto Jack's shoulder. A bright, sincere smile crept onto Jack's face and he nodded.

"True. It's about time too, don't you think?" Jack laughed. His eyes still focused on the young boy hawking headlines outside. David followed his friend's gaze to see if maybe the newsie had captured Jack's attention because it was someone the men knew. But the small boy with dusty blonde hair and a nose covered in newsprint was far too young for either Jack or David to recognize.

The two newspaper men stood quietly watching the newsie from the window until a little girl in pig tails also carrying a bundle of papers ran straight into him. The boy fell onto the ground, caught completely off guard, while the little girl mischievously pulled out a withered sprig of something green out from in-between her newspapers. She held it above the boy's head before she planted a kiss on the boy's cheek. Jack burst out laughing.

"Tricky little thing isn't she?" He chortled.

"Kid doesn't even know what hit him." David nodded also chuckling at the sight of newsie sitting on the ground frowning up at his attacker.

"He probably thinks they are just friends." Jack nodded.

"Little did he know what she thinks." David turned away from the window. Jack watched the exchange for a few minutes longer before turning around with a sigh.

"Do you ever feel like you've lived more than one lifetime?" Jack nervously pushed back the hair that wasn't in his face. David leaned back against his desk and stared around the office. The office of two junior reporters, the same two men that once ran a citywide newsies strike. The newsies strike run by two boys, a boy running from a past that was slowly catching up to him and a boy that had never sold a newspaper before in his life. David Jacobs understood the odd reality of living several lives in one.

"All the time."

Jack nodded and was quiet again. The sound of heavy footsteps sounded from somewhere above and the men listen to others leave for the day in an eerily silence.

"I just want to start this year off right Dave." Jack finally conceded what was on his mind.

"Hasn't Jess been cleaning like a mad woman all week, to prepare your home for the New Year?" Dave smirked remembering how Jack had been complaining all week about his soon-to-be wife's incessant cleaning.

"Yeah and Rae and her have been baking those round cakes, something about prosperity." Jack shrugged.

"I think that has something to do with coming full circle…" David frowned trying to remember the tradition of the family that lived next to the Jacobs growing up.

"Right, coming full circle." Jack nodded absently looking back over his shoulder out the window but the young couple was long gone.

"Well what do you want to do to welcome in the New Year?" David asked patiently. If Jack was talking about it, he had something in mind. At least that was David's experience on the manner. That is after all how the strike started so many years ago, one idea from Jack and some carried away understanding from David.

"I don't know Dave, something new?" Jack asked expectantly. David nodded again and thought for a moment back to the scribbling of the afternoon. A note, a thought somewhere along the line had been about something to do with the New Year.

"There was something…" David mumbled as he started shuffling through the papers on his desk. Unlike Minerva, Gretchen the girl who had replaced Jack's girl Jess was anything but organized. Gretchen couldn't be a worse secretary but David was patient and hopeful that Minerva would rub off on his young, inexperienced Gretchen.

"Sure Gretchen didn't throw it away?" Jack joked. Just three days ago, Gretchen had thrown away a finished article on Willie Lewis the fighter that David had finished. By the time the article had been found, a reporter from the Sun had scooped David. There had been a lot of controlled yelling that afternoon in the tiny office.

"She stopped throwing things away without asking." David muttered as he shuffled through a few more papers. Jack popped his eyebrows and leaned back against the window crossing his arms.

"What is it you're even looking for?" Jack yawned. David ignored him until he found his notes.

"You know the Times?" David asked suddenly straightening up.

"The pape?" Jack questioned. David nodded. "What about it?"

"It's having a party for the new building, that just happens to be on New Years Eve." Dave explained.

"In Longacre Square?" Jack frowned.

"That is where the new building is." David nodded again. "There is going to be a street fair and everything, it seemed like it might be a swanky affair."

"Why do you have notes on it?'

"Thought there might be a story…" David shrugged.

"And then you remembered Mr. Jenkins doesn't let us print stories about other papers, free publicity." Jack clicked his tongue in thought. There were more shuffling above and heavy footsteps on the stairs outside. The day was coming to an end in the Chronicle building.

"It's getting dark." David nodded towards the window again.

"I need to stop at the market before getting home, Jess wants black-eyed peas." Jack cringed at the word. He hated the taste of black-eyed peas. But it was a New Year's tradition he had grown accustom to, even as a newsie he had eaten the dreadful things on New Year's Day. David laughed and started collecting his coat. The men shuffled out of their office for the last time in 1904 without even looking back.


	2. And Never Brought to Mind

And Never Brought to Mind

The layer of dust that was always present in the main lobby had disappeared. An odd glitter glinted off the oil lamp on the desk and the entire room had the overpowering smell of polish and laundry water. Jack had no doubt that the cleanliness of the room could be attributed to Jess and Rae. He shook his head as he climbed the steps on the right side of the room, noting how even the wood of the stairs had been scrubbed clean.

Jack climbed the stairs hurriedly jumping two at a time, clutching the little package of black-eyed peas for Jess. He was trying to ignore the increase in his own heartbeat and the sinking sensation in his stomach. Jack Kelly had never grown accustom to feeling anxious about anything in his world. But over the course of the last few months, the feeling of dread was becoming commonplace for the man. Everyday it began on his walk home, a short distance from the office back to the tiny place on the fifth floor he shared with Jess Rihan. At the thought of Jess, his pace would quicken and his heart would start thundering and the now familiar uneasiness would settle over him. It would not subside until Jack let his brown eyes rest on the recognizable shape of Jess and then his body would release a tense breath. Jack couldn't explain the feeling and began his trek home everyday from the office thinking it might finally be the day it didn't happen. But it did happen, kept happening, and it was beginning to really frustrate the young reporter.

At first he was convinced it was a new feeling, something unlike he had ever experienced before, especially towards Jess. But after a few months, he began to have a tugging sensation of déjà vu. An annoying memory of years ago, the anxiety that overtook him when he had first found a girl in an alleyway… But he had been ignoring those memories. Not because they were painful or even some of his worse, but because Jack Kelly wasn't one to dwell on the past often. The anxious feeling would go away sooner or later whatever it was that had Jack on edge with Jess would end. But until then, the hair on the back of his neck was starting to stand as a worrisome shiver overtook his shoulders. His right foot slammed decisively onto the last step between the staircase and the fifth floor but before Jack relaxed a loud crash of tin erupted right behind him.

Instinct is a powerful motivator in any human being. In a man that had been raised on the streets, instinct is the only thing that kept him alive. So even when he was shrouded in the protection of adulthood and the thin walls of a tenement building Jack Kelly reacted based on instinct. He dropped the package of black-eyed peas and swung his body around with his fists. Without thinking, he left his right hook connect with perfect precision to the jaw of the man behind him on the stairs. The tin clattered underfoot of the two men on the stairs and though surprise had let him be hit, Michael let his instincts kick in just in time to reach out and grab the hand railing before he tumbled back down four floors.

"Cowboy! What are you doing?" The angry voice of Jess Rihan rang down the hall pulling Jack out of his trance. He looked over his shoulder and saw the glittering glower of Jess with her arms crossed over a flour-covered apron. He released the breath he had not even noticed he was holding and the tension left his shoulders instantly.

"Your right hook hasn't lost its punch Jack," Michael muttered from the steps behind Jack. Jack smiled sheepishly at Jess and turned back to his friend on the steps behind him.

"Skittery, you know better than come up behind a man like that and make all that racket." Jack tried to play off his own blame in the current situation. He bent down and picked up the guilty objects, at least half a dozen tin cans were scattered on the steps around both men.

"Jack Kelly! What has gotten into you? Michael, are you all right?" Ava huffed from somewhere behind Jack.

"I'm fine, just fine. My jaw…" Michael started chomping his teeth together for emphasis. Jack rolled his eyes; Skittery had always been one for the dramatics of a situation.

"What were you doing dropping those infernal tin cans so loudly for anyway? I would have knocked some sense into you too. You are just lucky you didn't wake the baby…" Patrick Conlon's familiar annoyed drawl called out. Jack straightened up with most of the cans in his arms and turned around to his friends on the fifth floor. All the doors were wide open and the smell of freshly baked bread was waffling through the air and the lingering smell of soap water. Jack shuffled into the hall carrying the cargo that had caused the commotion. Once he was within her reach, Ava struck out her tightly fisted hand into Jack's arm.

Jack dropped most of the tin cans again in surprise at being hit. Michael stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his wife.

"Ava, stop that." He laughed at her anger. Her blue eyes were sending daggers in Jack's direction.

"If one of you fools drops those tin cans again and wakes my little girl, I will beat you with this spoon." Rae waved around a wooden spoon as she stepped into the hallway.

"Is there ever a time when that child isn't sleeping?" Michael muttered under his breath. Ava elbowed her husband.

"I want to know how she has learned to sleep through Rae's shouting all the time but one of us knocks over a glass and she wails." Jack laughed. He kicked at one of the tin cans.

"So help me, Jack Kelly…" Rae began.

"What are they for?" Jess asked focusing the attention on something other than Jack. She could tell by the goofy grin plastered on his face that Jack Kelly was in a mischievous mood that would only aggravate the young mother of one.

"To welcome in the New Year, you know the racket keeps the devil away." Michael explained as he bent down to pick up the cans again.

"You know the New Year you keep ranting about it Jess, it's why you've been crazier than old man Pulitzer with your cleaning…" Patrick crossed his arms and a vague shadow of his superior Brooklyn days crossed his features.

"Yes, I know what New Year's Eve is Mr. Conlon. But I thought since we had agreed not to go to Trinity for the bell ringing…" Jess started.

"Actually, Dave and I were talking about maybe seeing about this big mucky muck with the Times." Jack smiled finally getting all the way over to Jess without any further attacks. He bent down and kissed the woman on the cheek before handing her a package, hoping to distract her long enough to realize what he was suggesting.

"The paper?" Patrick frowned.

"The owner bought the building in Longacre Square, read there was going to be a big party to welcome in the New Year and celebrate the new building." Michael nodded remembering one of the articles from his paper earlier in the week. The adults in the hallway may not hawk headlines anymore but they managed to stay informed out of habit.

"Isn't Longacre Square where they sell milk?" Rae questioned surprised.

"And horse carriages." Ava nodded.

"There's that horseless carriage place too, what is it called…" Patrick started snapping his fingers.

"Horseless carriages and milk, Jack Kelly you want us to ring in 1905 in a marketplace?" Jess frowned up at him.

"I want us to forget 1904 in a way that's so big... I can tell this party is going to be so big, the other papers are going to feel stupid ignoring it…" Jack mumbled the end of his sentence.

"The biggest, loudest, nosiest blow out this town has ever seen maybe?" Patrick smiled remembering a conversation from years past. It seemed the men of the hallway were never going to escape the reach of newspapers in their lives.

"Am I missing something?" Jess frowned at Patrick and Jack.

"Nothing." The men stated in unison.

"Momma?" A tiny little voice cried out from the Conlon apartment. Rae waved her spoon around above her head and started towards Jack but Patrick shot his arms out quickly.

"Is something burning?" Ava sniffed at the air. Jess ran back into the open door of the apartment she shared with Jack.

"Jack Kelly, you better be ready to tire out that child of mine…" Rae glared at Jack for a second before hurrying into her home.

"Consider it pay back for all the shoes your girl has made me shine today. I never wanted to be a black boot Kelly, it might do you some good to remind your girl in there of that…" Patrick smiled and Jack noticed the polish on his friend's hands.

"You know how Jess is when she gets an idea in her head." Jack shrugged apologetically.

"An idea in her head? I think Jess would have us cleaning the whole city if she thought we could do it." Ava sighed.

"Ja Ja." A tiny little voice shrieked excitedly. Genna Conlon wobbled out on her unsteady legs and her baby arms outstretched. The toddler had just recently started to wander around on her own two feet and had barely begun to use noises in any understandable manner. As the only child of the fifth floor, she was cuddled and coddled by all the adults around her. Patrick bent down and lifted his baby from her swaying stance by his feet.

"Ja Ja? What about me? Don't you have a hello for your Pop?" He threw the little girl up into the air a bit and she started giggling.

"Patrick, I heated enough water for you to wash up!" Rae called out.

"Your mother has been spending too much time with that bossy Jess…" Patrick commented to his child.

"I can hear you Conlon!" Jess shouted from her own kitchen.

"Give Genna to Kelly, while I finish with this bread." Rae commanded. The clattering of tin reminded Patrick and Jack that Michael and Ava were still standing at the end of the hall.

"See you both later," Michael laughed as Ava pushed the door open for him before he dropped the cans again. Patrick swung his baby up and into Jack's arms.

"You be careful with her, Kelly." Patrick warned before sauntering into his home and closing the door behind him. Jack patted his large hand over the golden curls forming on Genna's head. He stared around the hall that had lost most of its warmth now that the doors were closed and the familiar faces had retreated.

"Let's get inside then, see what Stressie is up to…" Jack smiled at the baby. He playfully danced with the girl into the warm kitchen.

"What are you doing calling me Stressie? Something bothering you?" Jess asked pushed her wrist up against her forehead and removing a loose curl.

"No." Jack replied instantly as his eyes settled on the hand that was above her head. On the glint of a precious metal, a ring that announced that Jess Rihan was actually promised to him. She frowned at him for a second but then went back to her bread baking.

Jack set Genna down again and let her wobble away from his a few feet before he started to crawl after her. The baby squealed with delight and terror as she tried to get away from him. Jack didn't try to hard to catch the little girl, instead letting her get her bearings around the legs of the wooden table. He did manage to make a big show out of the game, slowing down his movements and adding sounds to everything he did. Even while he focused most of his attention on the little girl, he kept watch on Jess out of the corner of his eye.

Jess placed the slightly charred round cake onto a flat board settled on top of a black pot. She turned back around to the table unwrapped the package Jack had handed her in the hallway. She smiled pleased that he had remembered the black-eyed peas even though she knew he personally hated them. She skirted around Jack and Genna's playing on the ground and she went back to her laundry. The baby giggles and ridiculous sounds of Jack filled the tiny home and though it was a happy sound, Jess fell into a method of pushing her clothing against the washboard loud enough that the sound rushed her ears.

"…Stressie?" Jack's voice pulled Jess out of her trance. A combination of Jack's voice and the growling of his stomach made Jess react by wringing out her blouse quickly and turning around.

"Sorry," Jess mumbled as she turned around. She scanned the floor in search of little Genna but when there was no sign of the babe, she glanced up at Jack. Jack sat at the table with his arms crossed over his chest and his handsome features set into an odd frown.

"What you apologizing for?" He asked her. Jess started laughing before she could stop herself. Jack jumped to his feet a concern pained his face as he reached out to settle his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, I'm fine." Jess giggled. Jack smiled despite the worry that was building in his chest as he pulled her into his arms.

"Yes, fine…" He sighed. His stomach growled again causing Jess to push away from him. She hurried over to the stove and started clattering around to pour a heartily stew into two bowls.

"Supper, we haven't had supper!" She cried. Expertly Jess turned with two filled bowls to the table behind her. Jack shook his head but couldn't deny he was starving. She set a bowl in front of him and Jack couldn't even resist waiting until she sat down herself start slurping it down.

"Where did Genna go?" Jess asked ducking under the table, half expecting the child to be curled up by Jack's legs.

"Ava just knocked, took her away before you snapped out of it…" Jack frowned at her.

"Oh." Jess nodded as she started to slowly lift a spoon to her own mouth. Jack slurped up the rest of his stew before he tried to speak again but Jess quickly reacted by pouring him a second bowl. She was stalling, recognizing the technique as a common one for his Jess. But his growling stomach reminded him that David and him had skipped lunch in the name of the news. He slurped down the second bowl of stew and then pushed the empty bowl away from himself decisively.

"Going to tell me what's on your mind?" Jack asked patiently. Jess was scrapping her wooden spoon against the bottom of her bowl but she wasn't collecting any of the watery substance to actual eat.

"Going to tell me what's on yours?" Jess retorted back. Her green eyes snapped up to glare in a challenge. Jack smiled and leaned back patting his stomach appreciatively.

"1904 was a bad year." They said in unison. The two laughed instantly lightening the mood again. Jack and Jess had been best friends for as long as either of them cared to remember and they had loved each other for almost as long. It was natural and expected that they were letting the same thing bother them. Jess pushed her half filled bowl of stew away.

"David pointed out it is almost over." Jack leaned forward and pushed the bowl of stew back towards Jess. It was a silent struggle of power, a silent command from Jack for her to eat. She stared down at the bowl debating how much she wanted to argue with Jack tonight.

Jack Kelly had been her protector for a long time now, even if she rarely admitted it and often times ignored it. But 1904 had brought back some of Jess' worse nightmares and with it some of the fragility Jack had saved her from so many years ago. He was being just as stubborn about protecting her now in 1904 as he had been in 1895. She sighed surrendering as she dipped her spoon back into the stew. Oddly the stew was the same as the one that her old guardian Gayle O'Connor use to make Jess when the old lady thought the girl was getting to thin. It was a stew to bring back spirits, a stew that was made by a worried soul.

"It is almost over." Jess agreed finally after two more spoonfuls made Jack relax back into his chair. Jack stared at her sad face, the way patches of flour on her face made her look paler and how her lashes hide her downcast green eyes. Jack stared around the unusually clean kitchen looking for something to talk about that wasn't 1904. He spotted a pair of shiny black boots under the window and laughed.

"You really made Spot shine shoes?" Jack snickered unable to resist. The image of the old leader of Brooklyn, the most feared newsie in all of New York shining shoes was something Jack would have paid at least a nickel to see.

"It's good luck for the new year!" Jess defended.

"I am amazed he didn't soak you, no matter if you're a girl." Jack kept chuckling.

"Oh, I think Spot Conlon might be more afraid of you than he lets on…" Jess murmured seductively.

"Afraid of me, unlikely. Afraid of you, more the case." Jack shook his head.

"Spot Conlon tied me to a chair once, I don't think he's afraid of anyone." Jess smiled widely as she lifted her bowl and slurped up the last remains of her stew.

"Except maybe Rae." Jack winked as he snatched her empty bowl and his own. He walked to one of the smaller wash tins and dunked the bowls into the soapy water. Jack was not averse to doing housework, having been a newsie for as many years as he had been he was no stranger to cleaning up after himself. The newsboys lodging house on Duane street had always been a help yourself type of establishment and Kloppman had demanded chores be done daily. He washed up the bowls and his own hands while he listened to Jess begin to hang up some of the wet clothing out on the fire escape.

Just when he thought she might be outside and not starring over at him, Jack went to pinch off a piece of the fresh round cake.

"Don't you even dare Cowboy," Jess stated softly from behind him. His hand hovered over the cake, his thumb and index finger perfectly poised for the steal.

"No one is going to notice if a piece is missing…" Jack argued. Before Jack could convinced himself of the goodness of his decision, Jess had her pale arms around his waist and her head of curls popped up under his left arm.

"I would notice." She pouted. Jack sighed and dropped his hand.

"You didn't make an extra one?"

"I made just enough for our dinner tomorrow night and for our celebration on New Year's Day." She shook her head.

"Today is almost tomorrow?" Jack tried.

"It is not. This is not a truth you can stretch." Jess wiggled her body to be between Jack and the cake, resting her head against his chest. Jack dropped his chin and pressed his nose into the top of her curls.

"Genna makes you sad?" Jack mumbled into her hair. Her arms tightened around him, a clear sign she didn't want to talk about it, but Jack and Jess didn't have secrets.

"Only sometimes." She whispered back. Jack nodded into her hair and they stood in silence thinking about the baby they had lost earlier that year.

"You miss me at the Chronicle?" Jess ventured. Jack pulled away from her now, looking confused.

"Why would you say that?"

"The look on your face, every time you come home. You look relieved, as if you think maybe I am not going to be here…" Jess shrugged.

"Maybe that's why I want to marry you." Jack smiled recklessly.

"But you miss me?" Jess insisted.

"Dave's new girl, Gretchen, well she throws away finished articles." Jack explained. Jess nodded.

"Yes, I heard. Only once though?"

"Once is one time too many."

"And Minerva, she's behaving herself?"

"If she tells me I can't put my own feet on my own desk one more time…" Jack warned. Jess burst out laughing and playfully smacked Jack's arm.

"It would do you some good to listen to that girl, have some manners." Jess wagged a finger at him.

"Manners have got nothing to do with my feet and my desk." Jack argued. Jess pushed herself up on her toes and gave the man a kiss.

"Speaking of manners, maybe you should wash up too Mr. Kelly. You smell of…" Jess scrunched up her nose as she sniffed at his shirt trying to place the smells.

"Subway." Jack provided.

"Why were you underground? It is unnatural for New Yorkers to be underground in those trolley cars!" Jess shoved Jack back from her.

"It's the future, even if you don't like it Jess." Jack laughed at her disapproval. Jess hated the subway, hated the idea of being trapped underground where only the dead belonged in her opinion. Jack Kelly didn't belong anywhere the dead belonged, not for a long time.

"What were you doing in that devilish place?" Jess demanded crossing her arms.

"Catching a story about a pick pocket." Jack shrugged.

"Well subway must definitely be washed off before the New Year." Jess started to push the man in front of her.

"How about I wash up tomorrow?" Jack bargained.

"How about you wash up today?" Jess countered. Jack shook his head and shot his arms out and had Jess up in his grasp in seconds.

"How about tomorrow?" He repeated. Jess struggled against his strong grasp but was laughing at the twinkle in his eyes.

"Put me down!" She pounded her fist into his chest. Jack dropped her on their bed and bounced down next to her.

"You're down." He smiled.

"Yes, well…" Jess started to scoot off the bed but Jack reached out and easily pulled her back towards him. "Stop that!"

"1904 deserves a better send off than baths and laundry." Jack whispered into her ear.

"Maybe it does, but you smell of subway and maybe you should have thought of that before Mr. Kelly…" Jess tried to lecture and pull away. Jack laughed and flung himself onto the bed letting go of the young woman.

"We'll have a better 1905." Jack laughed.

"We'll have a better 1905 if you just listen to everything I say." Jess smiled over her shoulder.

"What about what I got to say?" Jack popped his elbow up and rested his head on his arm

"What you got to say usually gets us in trouble."

"Not always."

"Almost always." Jess couldn't resist and bent down to kiss his pouting lips.

"Well if next year all I'm going to do is listen to you, don't you think I should have one more night of you listening to me?" Jack argued.

"I never listen to you." Jess giggled but she was already wriggling out of her shoes over the edge of the mattress.

"Ever think that you not listening to me might be how we always get into trouble?" Jack had started unbuttoning his shirt, knowing Jess was caving to his suggestion.

"No." Jess responded sincerely. Though anyone who knew Jack Kelly and Jess Rihan would agree the misunderstandings between the two was always a combination of Jack's careless words and Jess' stubbornness. Jess turned around to find Jack stretched out, with his shirtless arms settled under his head. She started unbuttoning her own blouse as she leaned her torso into his ribs.

"Tomorrow, bath." She commanded.

"You'll agree to go to the Times celebration?' He smiled up at her.

"I might have a better offer." She smirked. He frowned as he slipped one of his arms out from under his head and his fingers found their way into a soft spot of stomach on her body. He began to tickle her.

"Better offer?" He mocked as she fell into fits of laughter.

"Stop, stop! All right! I will go." She huffed.

"Good."

But as soon as Jack stopped tickling her, Jess dove her fingers into his stomach and began her own attack. Jack started laughing so hard that tears escaped the edges of his eyes.

"I surrender!" Jack cried struggling to gain the upper hand.

"Why is the party so important to you?" Jess pressed her thumb against his cheek catching one of the escaped tears. She had always been better at the tickling attacks than him.

"New Traditions start somewhere Jess, can't you feel this one is going to be something great." Jack shrugged before swinging his arms to lift her above him.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note Spoilers: As I said before, I took some liberties. I suspected that in Can't Keep Running, Jess ended up losing the baby she was expecting because of the stress and subsequent violence that might have taken place with Rip... I could though be wrong and this shouldn't be taken as what has happened. _


	3. Old Long Since

Old Long Since 

December 31, 1904

Jess was humming to herself as she dunked the shirt and pants that Jack had been wearing the night before into her laundry water. A scent of boiling coffee was hanging in the air hopefully just enticing enough to pull Jack out of bed. Jess had slipped out of bed at sunrise, antsy to finish her preparations for 1905. She stepped into an old ratty pair of Jack's pants, tying them up with a bit of rope, a trick he himself had used when he had been scrawnier. And with a half buttoned up blouse over her undergarments, she went about the place trying to work quietly at first. But now it was nearing mid-morning and Jack still hadn't stirred enough to wake.

"Always such a heavy sleeper." Jess muttered to herself as she took out a basket of shirts to mend. She glanced around her home, inspecting what was left to do. The floors had been scrubbed clean and anything that could be dusted was spotless. She had polished anything that could be polished and washed the curtains. All the clothing that she and Jack owned had been cleaned and mended, except for the basket of items that needed buttons she was now working on. It appeared as if everything was ready. Jess did want to wash the bed linens and would like Jack clean, but that required the presently drooling man to be awake.

Jack Kelly the man, slept just like Jack Kelly the boy had. His arm was flung over the side of the bed and he hugged the side near the window leaving Jess' side of the mattress empty. His dark brown locks were sticking up all over the place and his mouth was wide open, mid forgotten phrase from a dream that had ended hours before. He was still a restless sleeper. Jess smiled at how peaceful he looked and couldn't bring herself to wake him quite yet. She pushed the needle through the rough fabric of one of his pants as she pried her eyes away from his sleeping face.

The knocking would probably wake him after all. It was like clockwork, a staple in their world, Ava would come knocking looking for something every morning. The loving but forgetful neighbor would need sugar, or coffee, or a bit of lard, or polish, or string, or maybe even a needle. Even armed with the knowledge, when the knock came it startled Jess enough for her to push the tip of the needle into her finger.

"Curses." Jess muttered dropping the pants, needle and button. She popped the finger into her mouth and trudged towards the door before the knocking got too much louder.

"Morning Ava," Jess smiled around her finger, as she opened the door.

"Do something to your finger Jess?" Ava asked carefully taking in her friend's appearance. Curls barely contained by a comb, half buttoned shirt and when her eyes noticed the rope belt, Ava laughed.

"Needle prick." Jess explained popping her finger out of her mouth and wiping it on the rolled up sleeve of her blouse.

"Feeling like a newsie?" Ava laughed again.

"I'd have to button up the rest of my shirt for that, wouldn't I?" Jess smirked, suddenly remembering her sense of pride and working to button the rest of the shirt.

"Michael is heading to the factory for just the morning…" Ava started to explain.

"Don't have coffee?" Jess nodded anticipating the request.

"Actually, I was hoping you had a spoon of honey I might borrow? He wants tea this morning, coffee for later." Ava shrugged sheepishly. Jess nodded and wandered over to a tiny cupboard, knocking around the glass jars loudly on purpose.

"Jack not going into the office today?" Ava asked, peeking though the kitchen and catching sight of the sleeping figure of the man.

"Hmsumph." Jack responded unintelligently as he punched the pillow over his own head.

"No, but he is GOING to get up soon!" Jess stated loudly. Jack grumbled and groaned more from under his pillow but did not make any effort to get out of bed. Jess handed Ava a spoonful of honey.

"Michael seemed pretty excited about Jack's idea of going to Longacre Square tonight." Ava smiled.

"Only the boys would get excited about New Year's Eve in a marketplace…" Jess mocked. Ava smiled and walked back down the hall as Jess quietly closed the door again.

"It's not going to be a marketplace anymore," Jack argued loudly. He had pulled the pillow off his head and yawned at the end of his sentence.

"Are they going to stop selling milk there?" Jess demanded turning around with her arms crossed.

"They just opened Hotel Astor out there on that square." Jack rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up.

"Well if the Waldrof Astors are going to be there, what are we doing there?" Jess asked.

"Why are you so cross?' Jack frowned.

"I need you out of bed so that I can wash those linens." Jess responded shrugging.

"So you're already mad at me for the day?" Jack whined.

"Don't whine, I'm not mad or cross." Jess sighed pouring two cups of steaming coffee. She walked over to Jack stretching out a cup for him.

"I'm heating the water for you to bathe and not smell like dirt anymore." Jess held the cup just out of his reach.

"I do not smell like dirt." Jack leaned forward to catch his cup. But Jess pulled away just in time and smiled mischievously.

"Bathe and you'll go make sure David is coming to dinner and this marketplace affair tonight?" Jess added.

"Anything else you want?" Jack swung his hand around trying to grab his coffee.

"Maybe washing the windows?' Jess smiled wickedly.

"Why? Why do you want me to wash windows?" Jack finally clasped his fingers around the cup.

"A new beginning, a clean house." Jess chirped. Jack tipped his mug and enjoyed the first gulp of coffee.

"You've never been this concerned with new beginnings before." Jack commented without looking up at her.

"It's never been the year I'm going to marry the man of my dreams before." Jess smiled.

"Have I met this man?" Jack smiled as he scooted over to her and tugged at the rope belt around her waist.

"I don't think so. He is much too polite for someone as uncivilized as you to meet." Jess mocked him.

"Uncivilized am I?" Jack pulled the rope and caused the knot to become undone. Jess reacted before the pants fell down her thighs, one of her hands holding the pants up to her waist.

"And rude." She snapped.

"You know how to tie better knots than that." Jack shrugged as he stomped his feet onto the wooden floor beneath him.

"Windows first." Jess nodded to him.

"I hate cleaning windows." Jack stated resigned.

"You also hate cold baths." Jess nodded.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to wash them." Jack grumbled grabbing a pair of pants from the dresser.

The tiny notepad was crowded with writing, but David Jacobs pressed his cramped notes into the last bit of empty space. He was walking and writing, a habit he had picked up in his first week as a reporter. The young man didn't even have to look up as he walked. His feet naturally led him to his destination, the run down tenement building his friends lived in near the Chronicle building.

"Paper, Mr. Jacobs?" A paper was shoved right under David's nose and his writing abruptly stopped. The young reporter sighed but looked up at the familiar clean face of his younger brother.

"I was writing Les," David sighed smacking the paper out of his way as he checked his notes over.

"Your always writing Dave." Les replied back smartly. David tucked his notepad and pencil into one of his jacket pockets, making a mental note about possibly stopping by the office tomorrow to write up a new story. He glanced around the street, spotting the familiar laundry girls and two other newsboys engaged in an animated conversation down the block.

"They are selling The Sun, some fool newsie named Lanky got lost for a while. Apparently, Denton wasn't the only one at the Sun who writes about newsies." Les laughed as he noticed the direction of his brother's gaze.

"That fool Denton is the reason we won the strike." David rolled his eyes turning back to his younger brother. Les Jacobs was no longer a wooden sword carrying seven-year-old boy. He didn't have to resort to cheap tricks of feigning sickness or betting drunks to sell his papers anymore. Though those tricks wouldn't work so well anymore, not now that Les was a lanky fifteen-year-old.

"Maybe but if you ask me, I think Jack might have had something to do with it." Les shrugged. David smiled at his brother. Les might be taller than him now and to the rest of the world look grown. But Les Jacobs still tended to worship Jack Kelly. David suspected the hero worship of a particular newsie might be why his kid brother still insisted on peddling papers on the weekends.

"So you going to buy a pape or just stand there looking daft." Les snapped as he pulled a single cigarette out of his front shirt pocket. The freedom of the streets, David thought, might be the other reason his youngest sibling still sold papers.

"You weren't even shouting headlines." David frowned.

"Like you don't know the headlines, you work for a paper…" Les rolled his eyes. David snatched a paper from his brother's hand and smacked the younger man playfully across the face with it.

"I thought Jack taught you to be a better newsie than that…" David jokingly chastised. Les rubbed his palm against his cheek and smacked his lips together noisily.

"Cowboy didn't teach me nothing, I was a natural born newsie! And don't you forget it." Les winked. David pushed his brother forward, making the younger boy walk with him as he read through the front-page stories of Pulitzer's Evening World.

"Yeah, that doesn't sound like classic Jack Kelly wisdom you're spouting." David muttered under his breath.

"Hey, you owe me five cents." Les demanded holding out his open palm.

"Five cents for what? The pape? It's still only a cent." David demanded. David scanned the top of his paper to make sure the price hadn't suddenly changed without his knowledge.

"It's four cents for hitting me with it, that was an extra charge." Les puffed at his cigarette. David folded up the newspaper and tucked it under his arm. He dug in his pocket for change and pulled out some coins.

"I'm charging you for not telling Ma that you're smoking again." David held two pennies between his thumb and middle finger.

"She doesn't say I can't." Les snatched the pennies from his brother before they disappeared. The boys had stopped in front of the familiar building. Les might not visit the famous old leader of the Manhattan newsies, ever, but that didn't mean he also didn't know where he lived.

"Dave, I'm starving! Could you hurry up!" Jack Kelly's voice shouted from above.

"Hurrying!" David shouted. He squinted looking up to see if Jack was sitting on the fire escape.

"I don't think I'm going to head up…" Les began but Jack's voice rang down again.

"Bring the kid up with you too!" Jack commanded. Les groaned and pointed to the stack of papers still in his left hand as a reason for his brother to ignore Jack.

"If you found time in your busy schedule to stop by and see Jack sometimes, maybe you could skip out of here without being rude. But as you haven't… Besides, why would you be selling papers so close to here if you didn't want to run into one of us?" David pushed Les into the building. As the brothers entered the tiny lobby, Les scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"It smells like that stuff Kloppman used in the lodging house…" He coughed.

"Jess. She's been cleaning." David nodded trying to not inhale the intense smell of the cheap wood polish.

The light of the day was slowly dwindling and the cramped stairs of the building were shrouded in darkness. The inside of the building teemed with movement, families cooking and cleaning. The brothers stepped onto the floor filled with their friends, the floor where all the doors were opened and light was pouring out in a welcoming fashion.

"Is that little Les Jacobs?" Rae Conlon was running across the hallway carrying a tray of some kind of roast.

"With that many papers left, impossible. Les Jacobs was a better newsie than that…" Patrick spotted the stack of newspapers immediately as he chase his little girl behind his wife.

"Don't just stand out in the hallway, come in!" Jess shouted. David led the way into the small home of Jack Kelly and Jess Rihan. It was overflowing with people and food. Extra chairs were lining the walls and the regular table that was large for two people was barely enough to house all the food for almost 10 adults.

"That is a lot of papers left." Jack snatched the stack away from Les and stared at the front page. Les tried to grab the papers back but Jack danced away from the boy and Jess pushed a plate of hot food into his outstretched hands.

"Murder, Sports, and Scandals. Why do you still have papers left?" Jack frowned.

"Which murder, let me see here?" Patrick reached out to receive a paper from Jack.

"We are trying to eat, I don't want newspaper in my meal Patrick Conlon! Thank you very much!" Ava pushed the paper away from her plate of food.

"It's that murder in Riverside park of that girl…" David started to explain.

"The scandal is from Ohio, I thought it was something to do with New York." Michael read over Patrick's shoulder.

"Stop it with those papers!" Jess snapped her fingers annoyed.

"Yes, or no food for any of you!" Rae smacked a tin spoon against the tray her roast was sitting on. The men handed back their papers to Les in defeat and milled around the room getting settled again.

"Those are good headlines, why do you have papes left?" Michael yawned.

"Because Skitts, the evening edition just got off the presses. I know you all haven't been newsies for a while but…" Les muttered clutching the papers to his side.

"Stop teasing the boy, here Les eat some of the cake." Jess coaxed.

"I didn't get any cake yet!" Jack complained.

"You haven't finished your dinner." Jess smacked his hand as it tried to sneak a piece of cake.

"This is what happens when you get yourself a girl Les, they don't let you eat cake." Jack laughed.

"I really have to try to go and sell the rest of these papers." Les tried to state to the loud crowd around him. Rae and Patrick Conlon were sitting near the window with Genna in Rae's lap. Ava and Michael were comfortably joking behind the kitchen table as Ava worked to cut up the cake. Jack was standing, eating his food as he leaned against the open doorframe. Jess was skirting around making David comfortable next to Filly. Les was left standing with his papers under one arm and a plate of food and cake in his other.

"Look here, there is even a man who tried to kill a woman who refused to marry him…" Jack was commenting as his head was tilted and he was reading the inside of one of Les' papers.

"There is going to be a story about how a girl killed a man who was suppose to be her husband if you don't quit it, Cowboy!" Jess snapped her fingers at him. Jack shrugged.

"Good to see the World writers are still good with headlines." Jack winked at Les.

"I really have to go…" Les tried again.

"Just eat the cake dear, and then you can go sell your papers." Ava nodded at him.

"You've gotten tall." Michael smiled at the boy.

"School going all right?" Jack asked seriously.

"Almost done." Les nodded as he shoveled cake into his mouth. Even at fifteen, Les couldn't seem to get enough of his food. He was nervous around his brother's friends, around the men he once idolized. The old newsies made Les Jacobs feel young, like a child still, which might explain why the young man didn't visit often.

"So you celebrating the evening by selling papers?" Patrick asked.

"Just these few that I got, then well no. I am meeting some friends." Les mumbled.

"Friends?" Jess looked over at the young man.

"That means a girl, you're meeting a girl?" Ava smiled at him delighted. The young man's cheeks flushed with color, possibly from the heat of the overcrowded room but more than likely from the embarrassment.

"What girl?" David frowned surprised.

"Let the boy alone." Jack clapped his hand down on Les' shoulder. "That marry me or I'll kill you story, should sell you at least three of those what twenty papes?"

Jack studied the stack of papers and nodded to himself. Anyone in the room could tell that the great Jack Kelly was thinking about how quickly he would be selling those papers. What headlines he might be shouting, and how fast the papers would be leaving his side.

"Are you all going to Trinity tonight?" Les asked carefully not looking any of the adults in the room in the eye. He wanted to change the topic from paper selling and girls.

"No… But is that what the World says is happening tonight?" Jess asked.

"On the front page, whole thing about the hooting and hollering that happens with the bells." Les nodded.

"See, even Joe thinks that is where we should go tonight." Jess stated pointedly at Jack.

"Joe ain't going to promote The Times in his paper. Everyone knows how much Pulitzer hates the Times. Or any paper that ain't his own…" Jack shrugged.

"The Times?" Les questioned.

"You know, there's that new building in Longacre Square." Patrick waved his fork in front of him.

"Oh that party, yeah there's been a street fair there most of the day. That's where I sold all my afternoon editions." Les nodded again.

"See, there is something big going on there." Jack grinned in triumphant.

"Was it crowded when you were there earlier?" Rae asked carefully. Les nodded.

"Yeah, great business."

"We better hurry up then, so we don't end up down the street from the square and miss the whole thing." David stated excitedly.

"I better get going…" Les stated more forcefully this time. The roomful of old newsies, newsies who were use to being listen to required a forcefulness as the young man knew from experience.

"All right, but here." Jess pressed a wrapped clump of food. Probably cake if Les had to guess.

"Thanks Stress." He smiled and tucked the treat in his pocket.

"Night. Happy New Year." Les smiled at his old mentors and turned to walk out of the room. A clanking of a plate being put down sounded behind him and Jack followed the young man out of his home.

"It shouldn't take you longer than an hour to sell those papers." Jack nodded again more to himself than his young prodigy.

"I know Jack." Les sighed. The two started trotting back down the barely visible stairs.

"And you be sure to say hello to your parents for me?" Jack ventured.

"Course Jack."

The two were quiet down the last two floors of the building until Les coughed at the strong scent of the lobby again.

"David told us about everything that happened with Rip and Stress…" Les started as he turned to face his old mentor. But Jack waved his hand and hushed the younger boy.

"It all got better right? Tonight, it's a new year. New beginnings all the way around right?" Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a single nickel.

"You going to marry Stress this year Jack?" Les questioned in a voice so young, Jack wondered if the boy was ever going to be older than seven to him.

"If Race were still around, he might be taking bets." Jack laughed as he held out the nickel and pulled out two papers from the stack under Les' arm. Les started reaching for change for the nickel.

"Keep the change kid," Jack shook his head.

"Two papers?" Les' eyebrow shot up in question.

"You know how Conlon is, can't even share a paper without it being a fight." Jack shrugged. Les nodded and turned around to leave the building. As he pushed the door open and let his eyes adjust to slight difference of darkness outside, Les turned again.

"I'd bet that Race would have a hot tip on your wedding…" Les laughed.

"Let's just hope someone tells Stress." Jack winked as he playfully kicked the boy out.

* * *

><p><em>To Stress: I am so very glad you've been enjoying it! I love that you like the lived several lifetimes idea, it's one of my favorites. It strikes me when writing my own series how these characters (how we writers even) have lived through entirely different lifetimes. I think it's particularly poignant with Jack. He was Francis Sullivan, boy with a criminal father and a tendency to steal and get caught. Then we have Jack Kelly, boy king with a swagger and desire to go out west with a life story he created. But what do we have after that? Everyone writes it different and we all know, that if Jack somehow existed past the movie he would have been a different person... if only because we all have become different people since we experienced the strike the first time. So anyway, I'm really glad you picked up on that notion. It was the reason I had the kids, the newsie couple playing out his own past on the street. So I hope you enjoy the next chapters you have read and you should think about finishing Can't Run Forever, I'm interested to see where it was going... <em>

_To Everyone Else:_ _Austra thanks for leaving me feedback! Hope you're still liking it! And the first Times Square New Year's Eve bash is about to begin..._


	4. Wandered Many a Weary Foot

Wandered Many A Weary Foot 

By nine, the crowds were spilling past the Astor Hotel on Broadway and people were hustling in and out of buildings and around the carriages lining the street. It was something of a controlled madness in the night that was so masked in light it was almost day.

"What time do you say it is?" Ava asked loudly as Michael pulled her forward to the crowd.

"A few minutes past nine," Patrick responded from behind her.

"But it's so bright…" Ava commented back.

"There are lights everywhere! Look at all the ones on the top of the Astor!" Rae was starring up at the buildings around them. The group was weaving through the crowds past the intersection of 7th and Broadway.

"I think it might be brightness of Trimble Whiskey." Jess squinted at the large billboard behind them.

"Those clanking glasses almost make me want to drink Trimble…" Jack laughed glancing over his shoulder.

"It's all anyone would talk about when the advertisement went up." David rolled his eyes, leading the group through the crowd from in front of Jack.

"Why wouldn't you drink Trimble?" An unfamiliar voice of a man they were passing asked.

"Not an Irish Whiskey." Patrick responded back to the unknown man as the group continued to work it's way towards the Times building.

"Drinking a whiskey that isn't Irish might as well be drinking water." Rae laughed.

"Here, here!" A few people cheered around them.

"Are we heading somewhere or you just a Walking Mouth?" Patrick shouted above some of the hollering. David didn't bother responding as he kept pushing through the crowds.

The street fair had dwindled down as the night had settled over the crowd but people were still gathering. A few of the entertainers, circus performers were still wandering around putting on a good show for all who had gathered. A murmur of chatter buzzed as people talked about the bright lights of the Times Building and discussed the upcoming entertainment. There was a stage set up and ready for some kind of performance. Newsies were ducking in and out of crowds, shouting headlines, lighting cigars, fetching champagne whistles and any task that would earn them a penny or two.

David finally stopped near the Packard building, where a festive group of people had settled down with a homemade band and couples dancing.

"Packard! That's the name of the horseless carriage seller!" Patrick snapped.

"I think all the people in Manhattan are in this square." Ava laughed as Michael stumbled forward into the dancing space as someone pushed into his back.

"I'm not sure it's really a square…" David commented looking around at the sea of people and buildings around him.

"Might as well dance?" Michael held out a hand to Ava. The young married couple jumped into the lively music.

Jack fidgeted with the two tin cans in his coat pocket as he stood protectively behind Jess. He bent forward and pressed his lips to her ear.

"Doesn't look like a marketplace, does it?" He asked smugly.

"This Packard building, it sells horseless carriages…" Jess pointed at the business closed in front of them.

"Did you see the fancy couple trying to get into the Astor Hotel ball?" Jack nudged her with his elbow.

"The woman wearing that awful lilac evening gown?" Jess laughed.

"You'd look good in lilac." Jack nodded.

"No one looks good in lilac." Jess rolled her eyes. Rae Conlon had convinced a reluctant Patrick to dance the newest Jig that had started.

"Want to dance?" Jack started to wrap his arm around Jess waist.

"Kelly, you know I don't dance." Jess sighed back. She could feel Jack shrugging and knew the look on his face was the familiar at least I tried expression.

"Jack, Jack! There's an automobile over there…" David jumped excitedly.

"Yeah, haven't you ever seen an automobile before Dave?" Jack groaned at his friend's excitement. Though the streets of New York were still dominated by horses pulling carriages and trolley cars, there had started to appear an automobile here and there. It was almost to the point where the marvel of the automobile was starting to lose its novelty.

"Jack, it's the size of a boat…" David insisted.

"The size of what now?" Jack craned his neck around to see where exactly David was looking.

"Why don't you boys go see it up close?" Jess laughed.

"I think there are more than 12 people sitting in it…" David was holding his hand up counting.

"You'll stay here until we come back?" Jack asked. Jess frowned at the odd desperation in the man's face. Truthfully, Jack Kelly had always had a powerful wistful look to him hidden under a mask of a charming storyteller. But lately, Jessa Rihan had noticed the burning fright in her best friend's brown eyes. A nervous bounce as his irises scanned the hallway or the small tenement they shared until his eyes settled on her. Once he saw her, the normal gleam of the dreamer would return but those moments before when he was seeking her… Jess was beginning to think Jack Kelly was afraid one day he wouldn't find her. It was something that was becoming so commonplace in their world that she almost didn't notice his anxiety to even leave her side on a night of festivities. Almost.

"Of course I will." Jess eased her hand over Jack's wrist and slowly helped him release her. Jess Rihan could tell you when Jack Kelly started looking at her like she was a bird that might fly away. She could tell you the day it happened, just months before. Recalling the memory, Jess would once again for what seemed like the thousandth time curse the existence of Luke Divenize. It was beginning to feel as if Jess would never be ride of the curse she had been victim to for so many years. At least now, she no longer was petrified with fear that her ghost would materialize. Unfortunately, Jack had new ghosts and his still plagued him.

"You sure?" He barely whispered to her. "I don't have to see it, I can stay with you."

"I'm not going anywhere Jack Kelly and you know I don't care much for those new silly things." Jess waved him off playful. It was better to deal with Jack's fears with jokes than reassurances.

"Jess…" Jack started again.

"That way you boys can find out who is going to perform on that stage, maybe find a bottle of champagne for a midnight toast? I heard one of the other couples saying that old Times Owner has been passing out treats for a while. Maybe some of that famous charm will bring us prosperity in 1905…" Jess winked and pushed Jack towards David. Jack winked at her and then ducked into the crowd with David. Jess watched him and David walk away from her, not turning back to the dancing until she saw the recognizable movement of Jack's shoulders indicating laughter.

"You think we'll ever be able to own an automobile?" David was asking his friend.

"What would we ever need one for? We barely even take the cable cars…" Jack laughed.

"I've taken the subway." David defended. The two men started to push into a dense crowd of people excitedly checking out the large automobile on the street.

"For a story or two, not because you needed to get anywhere. As Jess puts it we walk everywhere we need to go… We are in New York after all." Jack laughed again.

"Maybe if you ever go to New Mexico?" David smiled only letting a hint of mockery drip into his voice.

"Maybe." Jack smacked the back of David's head. The noise was too loud to speak over, as the two men were close enough now to actually see the car above the heads of the crowd. Six men were hanging out of the automobile behaving like errant schoolboys as they blew into obnoxious whistles. The whistles were all different shapes and made a variety of high pitch noises. Some of the men were holding glasses of champagne precariously over their dates as they entertained the crowd around them. The women, six fancily clad ladies sat poised politely waving and genuinely smiling. The automobile itself, a large boat of a vehicle, was having trouble motoring down the crowded street.

Jess clapped loudly with the rest of the crowd as Patrick Conlon showed off not only his dancing skills but also his adorable wife. The plucking of the banjo and clanking against a washboard stopped and everyone cheered. Patrick was laughing as Rae beamed at him lovingly. The Conlons reminded Jess of a long forgotten memory of her parents, somewhere in Ireland so long ago joyfully dancing their troubles away.

"See dancing is not that hard Jess, if Conlon can do it…" Michael laughed as he stumbled over his own feet trying to walk back to her.

"If only you could dance as well as him." Jess nodded at him as she stared at his feet.

"We haven't danced like that since our wedding…" Rae giggled as Patrick surveyed the crowd around Jess. He was searching for Jack and David, surprised to see Jess standing alone.

"You've been busy with Genna…" Jess nodded.

"It's so wonderful that Filly could watch her, poor dear is getting to the point where she can't wear shoes. At least their babe will be born before the summer months hit…" Rae patted her own stomach in a knowing way. Jess wondered if Rae thought she might be pregnant again.

"Where did Jack and Dave get off to?" Patrick finally asked.

"They went to go inspect the automobile. They'll be back soon, you know how Jack and Dave are around all these new gadgets." Jess rolled her eyes.

"Like newsies with their papes?" Patrick winked at Jess. He held out his hand as an offering to dance. Jess shook her head and instinctively pushed the heel of her shoes into the dirt street beneath her. Patrick grinned widely and shook his head back as he reached out to grab her hands. Jess reacted quickly trying to wrap her arms around her own torso but she was no match for the old Brooklyn leader. He grabbed her hand and spun her out into the open dancing space. Jess clenched a fist out of her free hand and was ready to throw a punch at the superior smirk on Patrick's face but he anticipated the move and dipped her.

"Conlon…" Jess started.

"Just enjoy yourself would you." He laughed back at her. The tempo of the music picked up and Jess had no choice but to let Patrick Conlon led her in a quick stepped waltz.

"It's good to see her smile so much." Ava yawned into Michael's arm.

"Yes, it's unsettling how her and Jack have been for the last few months." Rae nodded.

"Speaking of that, it's strange Jack left her standing here alone." Michael frowned as he glanced over his shoulder.

"She is hardly alone. She was with us." Ava laughed as she saw Jess annoyed glare.

"Maybe once they get married they will go back to normal." Rae clapped as the music started slowing down.

"Go on and dance with her before she can escape from Patrick…" Ava pushed Michael out towards Jess.

"Be careful, Jess might step on your feet on purpose." Rae warned. It was at least three more songs before Jess escaped Patrick and Michael. Jess picked up her blue skirts as she took long strides to get away from the dancing. She frowned when she noticed that Jack and David hadn't returned.

"It's getting more crowded." Rae pulled Patrick away from dancing and followed Jess.

"What time is it?" Jess asked trying to hold her anxiety at bay.

"Near ten." Patrick responded.

"Maybe we should move closer to the stages." Michael suggested.

"And find some of Champagne? I heard the couple over there talking about how it was being passed out near the stage." Ava nodded.

"But Jack said they would come back here." Jess frowned.

"Jack and Dave will know we headed towards the stage." Michael suggested.

"Maybe I'll go towards the automobile and meet you all over by the stage?" Jess suggested and ducked into the crowd quickly before anyone could object.

"We shouldn't let her go off by herself." Patrick frowned.

"Jack and Dave are probably still looking at the automobile, she'll find them quick enough." Rae patted her husband's shoulder soothingly.

"Yeah, but maybe we should follow her…" Michael stared over the few people standing near him.

"We should go get Champagne before they run out, look at all these people." Ava pushed Michael towards the new Times Building glowing at the end of the street.

"Yes, Jess and the boys will find us." Rae nodded as she led a reluctant Patrick away from the dancing circle.

On the other side of the square David and Jack had finally worked their way out of the automobile crowd. Not before David had spoken to the driver of the party and Jack had managed to acquire one of the whistles in the shape of a champagne bottle from one of the ladies.

"No doubt you just flashed her a smile and she handed it over." David was muttering.

"She just gave it to me, I wasn't paying her any attention." Jack shook his head.

"You didn't smile at her?" David questioned.

"I might have smiled once…" Jack began slowly.

"Why Mr. Kelly, you shouldn't be flirting with woman when you're an almost married man." A familiar energetic snap came from behind the men.

"Miss Minerva." Jack rolled his eyes before turning around to face his young secretary. Minerva Charleston stood proudly on the sidewalk smiling at her boss and his partner. The young woman was stunning in a high waist black skirt and brilliant white blouse.

"Mr. Kelly. Mr. Jacobs." She greeted them with a bow of her head. She had braided her black hair into a beautiful crown pinned together with a single white flower over her right ear.

"Miss Minerva, you look lovely." David smiled at the young woman.

"How kind of you to say so Mr. Jacobs. You both look dashing as well." A shy smile defined the dimples on the girl's cheeks.

"Are you here alone Miss Minerva?" David frowned noticing her free arms.

"Yes, well I was heading to Trinity Church to meet my family but wanted to see what all the commotion was about in the square." Minerva explained her cheeks flushing suddenly.

"And have you gotten to see all the commotion?" David questioned. Jack stood politely waiting for his friend to finish questioning the young girl.

"Well I got caught up with this automobile party." Minerva explained.

"What else did you want to see?" David asked. Jack pulled out his pocket watch, a beat up timepiece that Racetrack had left behind in the lodging house years ago.

"I heard the official band from the St. Louis World Fair was going to be playing soon…" Minerva sighed longingly.

"Dave, it's half past 10. Jess must be worried we haven't returned." Jack snapped his pocket watch closed.

"Oh my, you didn't leave Miss Rihan alone?" Minerva squeaked.

"Not alone." Jack took a step back into the crowd.

"Would you like to stay and watch some of the concert with us Minerva?" David asked politely.

"I'm not sure that I should…"

"Life isn't always about what you should do." Jack muttered annoyed. "But we have to get back to Jess…"

"Yes, yes of course." Dave nodded at Jack while holding out his arm for Minerva. "Join us then? I insist."

Jack was too busy worrying about Jess to be annoyed by David's sudden interest in his manner-minding secretary. Instead the man was sliding through the pockets of people effortlessly, as if those in the crowd recognize the face of a seeker. David and Minerva followed in his wake, apologizing or thanking people as they past. In less than a dozen long strides, Jack was standing at the edge of the dancing circle again. Minerva stepped on the back of Jack's feet and almost fell over as she tried to walk into him.

"Carefully." David smiled at her as he caught her. Minerva blushed and muttered a thank you.

"Jack?" David prompted.

"She's not here. Do you see Conlon or the others?" Jack asked. David tried not to smile at the predictability of his friend needing to find Patrick Conlon when Jess was not in sight. Conlon was still a force to be reckoned with and valuable protection on the streets. If Jess were in trouble, Patrick Conlon would be the first to step in to ensure her safety. Old habits don't easily die. David glanced at the faces around him for familiarity.

"They probably started heading towards the stage to see the show, you know it starts soon." David reasoned. Jack's shoulder blades had become prominently defined under his jacket and a shaking hand ran through his hair that was perfectly slicked back.

"Maybe." Jack's eyebrows quirked up hopefully. He started plowing through people towards the Times Building without any more hesitation.

"Mr. Kelly seems worried…" Minerva whispered to David. David nodded thinking that Mr. Kelly was becoming an increasingly nervous man when it came to Jess Rihan.

A block south and a few paces to the east, Jess Rihan was struggling against the tide of people. Longacre Square was slowly but surely starting to resemble the front page of the New York Times cramped and filled to the brim. Jess growled under her breath as she thought of the tiny little motto printed in the left hand corner "All the news fit to print."

"Now it's just all the people that fit in the square." She muttered. She pushed and shoved through a barely moving group of elegant people complaining about not being able to pay their way into restaurant near the New York Theater. Jess sneered at the shriek of the lady in pearls at being denied a table and how her father, some hotshot banker would hear about the disgrace.

Suddenly Jess propelled forward into empty space. It wasn't a large open space, just about six people wide in each direction enough room to outstretch her arms if she had wanted. The dead space was on the corner of the block of Hotel Astor and it seemed odd that it was empty.

"Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat." A hoarse voice taunted. Jess froze her hands clenched into fists as she felt the odd sensation of comfort from understanding the old Gaelic while at the same time fearing the meaning of the words. She turned towards the direction of the voice with a delicate caution.

"Ay, a curse would get your attention girlie." The voice coughed a chuckle. Finally Jess noticed the one woman in the empty space, sitting on a lone bench near the wall. The mysterious woman didn't look threatening, sitting hunched over with her hands resting over a large carpetbag. She was dressed in an odd collection of petticoats in several colors and a heavy wool shawl draped over her shoulders. She had a red cloth tied around her head, keeping her black hair behind her ears. The red cloth reminded Jess so much of the old Bandana Jack had worn that she couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Not smiling about that curse?" The woman asked suspiciously. Jess remembered what made her turn around and she shook her head.

"Well don't just stand there, come here…" The woman beckoned Jess to her. Jess wanted to refuse, to turn back around and go back to searching for Jack but something came over her. She skipped to the woman on the bench before she could even understand why.

"Are you from Ireland?" Jess blurted out the question. It wasn't at all the first thing the headstrong woman thought she might ask this strange woman that had just cursed her, but then again it appeared she wasn't altogether in control.

The mysterious woman chuckled again and shook her head. She had disconcerting black eyes that were starring right into Jess' green irises, it felt as if she was starring right through her head.

"No, no. I'm from further east than Ireland dearie. But I met an old lady from County Cork years ago, she taught me a few things in Gaelic. Makes the show better you know." The woman explained.

"The show?" Jess tilted her head in hopes that the eye contact would be broken, but the woman merely mirrored Jess' movements.

"Fortune telling, being a gypsy with the circus is something of a show." The woman nodded again.

"The circus?"

"The Times got us to come out for their street fair." The woman smiled, a wide eerily knowing grin. Jess nodded and finally managed to break the eye contact long enough to regain her senses. She was suddenly furious at the mysterious woman.

"And you just go around cursing people in Gaelic? For the sake of your show?" Jess glared at the gypsy.

"No."

"Just me then?" Jess could feel the anger boiling inside of her. A frustration at being confused, an annoyance at being in a crowd, an anxiety at not finding Jack and lastly a strong desire to soak this gypsy for bothering her.

"I wasn't cursing you girl. You are the cat in this case… someone harmed you and the Devil took them."

Jess felt the shiver of goose bumps form over her arms. She tried to control the panic that was now rising in her as she studied the black eyes starring at her intently. Rip. This gypsy was talking about Rip. What Jess couldn't figure out was if the dark mysterious woman was being serious or if she was just putting on a show.

"Breathe child." The gypsy commanded softly. Jess released the air from her lungs she hadn't even noticed she had been holding in. The gypsy held out both her hands and waited while Jess steadily her heartbeat again.

"Let me see your left hand."

At the request Jess suddenly heard all the noises around her. She could hear the shouting of a headline, the shrill sounds of whistles, the clattering of tin, and the incessant whispering in every direction. She remembered she was in the center of a party, but more importantly in the mist of a large show.

"I don't have any money." Jess lied easily enough. The gypsy studied her for a second before cracking a smile and nodding.

"I had a cat as a child, my brothers tried to drown it several times. But it never drowned you see and every time it survived the river it had that look you have on your face right now…" The gypsy nodded again and reached out and clasped Jess' left hand.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Sorry about the few day delay, there might be a day or two between chapters until the end here. Just a forewarning. Other than that, a quick translation.<em>

_ ****Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat - ****  
>May the cat eat you, and may the cat be eaten by the devil.<strong>******_


	5. And Here's a Hand, My Trusty Friend

And Here's a Hand, My Trusty Friend 

Michael waved a hand goofily above his head and Patrick expertly whistled to get the attention of Jack Kelly. The band of friends had congregated near the stage on the west side of the Times Square building. Jack had spotted them quickly but he still couldn't see Jess.

"She went looking for you, Jack." Patrick shouted over a few heads. Jack fixed a death glare on Patrick but his old friend merely shrugged and mouthed the word "stubborn." Jack wanted to throw a punch but he didn't' want to waste the time it would take to get to Patrick Conlon. Instead the young man turned around and used his remaining patience to explain the situation to David.

"Jess went looking for me." Jack sighed. David nodded. Of course she did, because Jack Kelly and Jess Rihan couldn't make anything simple. It was much more their style to be difficult and go looking for each other in the biggest gathering in New York City since possible the strike of '99.

"Wouldn't it be easier Mr. Kelly, if you remained her waiting for her to come back?" Minerva suggested noticing how Jack was edging back into the crowd away from the stage. Jack shook his head and David laughed.

"He doesn't really care for easy." He sighed.

"Try to be back by midnight!" Rae Conlon shouted out to Jack as he disappeared again. David and Minerva worked their way over to the two married couples.

"And who is this David?" Ava smiled brightly at Minerva.

"Miss Minerva Charleston, she works at the Chronicle with Jack and I." David smiled.

"The one that Jack is always…" Patrick started but Rae slipped her arm back sending her elbow into her husband's ribs. "Aw!"

"Delighted to meet you dear, Jack has told us so much about you. I am Rae and this is my husband Patrick. You'll have to forgive him, he just leaned into my elbow…" Rae hurriedly explained.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Minerva held out her hand to Rae. Michael was coughing into his hat jacket to hide his laughter as Ava introduced him to Minerva.

"Were you meeting David here?" Michael asked as he surfaced. Minerva blushed and shook her head slightly.

"No, I just happened to run into Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Kelly…" Minerva explained.

"David," David provided.

"Yes, and Mr. Ja… I mean David insisted I join you because I expressed my interest in the band that is to play…" Minerva explained.

"Fancfull's Concert Band! I heard they were at the World Fair in St. Louis…" Rae smiled.

The women fell to talking about their excitement about the band as the men carefully inserted their two bits of opinion in whilst keeping their eyes open for the lost two members of their party.

Meanwhile, Jess Rihan had almost completely forgotten she was at any kind of party as a gypsy held her left hand delicately. The space around the two women still empty even as more people pushed into the square. Maybe it was the energy of the dark gypsy or the primal instinct that kept the partiers of the evening away from the fortuneteller. But whatever the case, it provided a shrouded privacy to Jess as a stranger told her about her life.

"Yes, survived that river a few times haven't you." The gypsy smiled knowingly. Jess felt her chest tighten, how did this unknown woman know anything about her.

"Quite a journey for such a darling babe across the Atlantic. You were all right for a while, then a storm…" The gypsy nodded again. Jess tried to pull her palm away from the clutch of the witch in front of her but it was unsuccessful.

"Ah and love. Strong." The Gypsy let go of her left hand suddenly. She glanced up at the young woman letting her black eyes piercing through her skull again.

"What?" Jess croaked.

"What a stressed creature." She smiled knowingly as the color from Jess' face drained.

"What?" Jess squeaked again. Jess didn't believe in many things. She believed in ghosts because she had seen them. She believed in friendship and love and family but things like magic and foresight were not things Jess had ever thought about as real.

"May I see your right hand?"

"Why?" Jess asked.

"Because I want to see where your story is going." The Gypsy replied amused as she held out her hand again. This time though the dark mysterious woman waited for Jess to place her right hand in her hands. She patiently watched as the stubborn untrusting woman fought with her desire to run and her curiosity. Finally curiosity won out and Jess placed her right hand palm up in the waiting hands of the gypsy.

The gypsy studied Jess' right hand in silence. There was a healthy amount of muttering and nodding as she traced lines on Jess' palm. Jess stood perfectly still holding her breath again until the gypsy whispered the instruction to breathe again. Finally her hand was released and Jess instantly crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well?" Jess finally asked after what she felt was an eternal amount of silence. The gypsy chuckled again, a deep throat amusement.

"Your future is very much up to you child." She shrugged.

"You didn't see anything?" Jess panicked again.

"I see that you love someone very much." The gypsy stated gently.

"And?" Jess practically screamed.

"You are at a crossroads. Literally and spiritually…" The Gypsy laughed at her own joke. Times Square, New York City would in the near future become known as the crossroads of the world. Jess wanted to shake the elusive woman until she gave her a straight answer but an unsettling fear of being cursed kept her from the action.

"A crossroads?" Jess prompted instead.

"I use to tell my cat that it couldn't be scared of that river forever. Maybe what you need is to stop with the stress and just move forward. Maybe." The Gypsy smiled again, a wide toothy grin.

"Move forward." Jess muttered. Easy for the woman sitting on a bench to say, move forward. How could Jess just forget everything that had happened? Every scar and bruise. Every painfully reality of her past with Rip, her lost baby…

"You've always had love in your life. You're heart line is marvelously pronounced. More than any other I have ever seen." The Gypsy provided, trying to help the girl come to a conclusion.

"Love…" Jess inhaled deeply and her eyes rested on the red cloth tied around the dark locks of her fortuneteller. The same color red as the bandana that a kind hearted street vagabond had worn. It had been one of the first things that Jess had noticed on the 13-year-old boy that had helped her so many years ago. It was one of the first things she remembered about the much cockier 17-year-old she had finally admitted she loved.

"Jess! Where are you?" Jack mumbled more to himself as he brushed into a yet another human being. It was almost half past 11 and he was beginning to get annoyed at the closeness of every person in the square to him. He was one his second cigarette of his search and he was desperately trying to ignore the sinking feeling of despair in his stomach and the amount of times his feet were stepped on. He was almost directly in front of the Times Building now, nearing Astor Hotel but he had still seen no sign of Jess. As it got closer to midnight there was more pushing and shoving and Jack wasn't sure how much longer he could feasible look for Jess.

"Lose something Cowboy?" A familiar drew Jack out of his panic. The confusion at being called Cowboy and not seeing Jess set in before a blinking Jack noticed a well-known curly head.

"Snipeshooter?" Jack blinked again adjusting to the sight of a burly young man in front of him. Snipeshooter had grown out of his baby round cheeks and into a broad set of shoulders but he still had his boyish curls. The sight of a newsie in the mist of the madness of the square brought Jack's senses back to him. Newsies sparked a reignited an acute awareness in a man like Jack, maybe because he had lived on the streets or maybe because he had once been their leader.

"Looking for Stress?" Snipeshooter frowned at his old leader. Only one person ever made Jack Kelly ever look so lost.

"Have you seen her?" Jack asked hopefully. Snipeshooter shook his head.

"No, but have you ever thought about tying a rope to her?" Snipes' eyebrows popped up and his mouth thinned out as he tried not to laugh at his own cleverness. Jack squinted his eyes at the young man and let his hand twitch at his side. Snipeshooter had always been a smart ass and it was no longer Jack's responsibility to do something about it.

"Are you selling The Times?" Jack questioned instead.

"We are in Times Square, thought it a real money making opportunity. And I was right, near sold as many as you use to on a good day." Snipeshooter smiled broadly.

"I was a World man." Jack commented back. Letting his racing mind be entertained by newspaper talk for just a moment.

"I sell the World in the afternoon and the Times in the evening. It's got twice as many headlines as Joe's pape. Not bad busy." Snipeshooter shrugged again as he took out a paper and held it above his head.

"Don't want to help me look for Jess?" Jack asked knowing the newsie was going to go back to his business.

"Jack, I'd think you of all people would know looking for one person in a crowd like this is near impossible. You'd be better off waiting for her to come back to you…" Snipeshooter explained.

"Right, I know. You're right… I just…" Jack mumbled.

"Have to find Stress. I know. I'll tell her if I see her..." Snipeshooter grinned a slight memory of a dimple shinning on his cheek. Jack took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. He stared around at all the people, if it was possible at all, he was sure there were more people crammed near him than there had been only minutes before. He could feel an elbow knocking in his back and every so often a heel of a woman's shoe would step on the smallest toe of his left foot. He could turn around and go back to his friends and hope Jess would return to them. He knew Snipeshooter was right that finding one woman in this kind of crowd was difficult if not impossible. But Jack Kelly knew that Jess hadn't returned to their friends. He knew she was still lost in the sea of faces. He could feel it. Furthermore, Jack Kelly knew Jess Rihan was close. He was close to finding her.

"Well child…" The Gypsy sighed. Jess opened her mouth to protest being called a child. She hadn't been a child since long before she had even joined a gang over a decade ago.

"It's a term of endearment, not a comment upon your age." The Gypsy explained and Jess just stared at her. Did this she-witch have mind reading power as well? A set of goose bumps crawled along her arm but she remained glued to the corner.

"Jess! Jess!" A voice called from afar. Jess' head snapped and she looked at the swaying crowd around her.

"Strong." The Gypsy whispered. Jess never noticed how the mysterious woman followed her gaze to the bodiless voice.

"Stress! Jess!" Jack's voice was getting louder and sounding more desperate. Jess picked up her right foot and then her left and a moment was walking away from the Gypsy.

"Go maire sibh bhur saol nua."The Gypsy called after her as Jess started running.

"Jack!" Jess shouted back in the direction she thought his voice was coming from.

"Jess!" He called back. Jess was recklessly struggling through the crowd trying to reach Jack. She wasn't bothering to lift her skirts or watch where she was going. It was a blind flight to Jack's voice.

"Jack!" Jess screeched as her boot caught onto the back of a man's foot. She had cleared the path in front of her enough that when her body lurched forward she knew her face would hit cobblestones. Or at least they would have, if a pair of strong arms hadn't reached out and caught her.

Jack Kelly shot his hands out before even coconsciously registering it was Jess in front of him. He caught her falling body and spun her around so she was nestled against his chest.

"You said you would wait." He reproached once his eyes settled on her face.

"I don't like waiting Cowboy." Jess sighed letting Jack push her back up to be standing. Jack let out an indiscernible string of muttering but his arm snaked around Jess' waist.

"Don't you go cursing under your breath at me, Cowboy." Jess snapped.

"You didn't hurt yourself when you fell?" Jack sighed trying to examine her feet without bending down.

"No…" Jess frowned at him but Jack wasn't looking at her face.

"We're going to have to work through this crowd quickly if we're going to make it back to our friends by midnight…" Jack winked at her and started to pull her along.

Jess had once read about how Moses had parted the Red Sea with just a knock of his staff and some shouting. She couldn't help remembering the bible story as Jack charmed his way through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of people. Not once did Jack stop tugging Jess along. Even more surprising was no one appeared angry with Jack for pushing his way through. The music was getting louder as they drew closer to the stage and Jess was suddenly filled with regret at missing the performance.

Then the music stopped and the entire square lit up in a brilliant white. The Times Square building, the center of the entire party was aflame. A collective gasp from the entire square, thousands of people, happened in the same instant. Jack had stopped and Jess was sure it was because of the breath-taking spectacle but as she managed to pry her eyes from the building she noticed her friends standing near them.

Everyone was showered in a red light as the Times building flickered into a red light. Anticipation was building in the crowd, the masses seem to all be barely holding in their excitement. Jack tightened his hold on Jess' waist and used his free hand to dig out their tin cans from his pocket without taking his eyes off the building. A blue light encompassed the skyscraper and then for just a second a bell could be heard ringing.

A shout went out, a single voice shattered the silence of the square. Thousands cheered on the New Year's arrival with their voices, with their whistles with their tin cans. 1905 was ablaze, literally, on top of the Times Square Building. The noise was deafening but Jack and Jess clattered their tins along with the crowd. As the first firework burst in the sky above them, Jess clutched Jack's shirt in pure surprise at the loud booming. But even her fear wasn't enough to deter her sheer enjoyment of the show. Jack laughed at Jess nervous fistfuls of his shirt.

He looked down on the woman in his arms as the second rocket exploded above them. Jess face was shining from the lights and a sweet smile graced her lips. Jack bent down and planted on a kiss on her unsuspecting face as the band started playing a rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

"I love you." Jack spoke loudly into Jess ear. The cheering had only gotten louder as the fireworks were just starting to die down. Jess heard him though and nodded her acknowledgement into his chest. She waited inhaling the smell of newspaper and cigarette smoke that had always reminded her of Jack Kelly. Then she pushed herself up on her toes and pulled Jack down to her the rest of the way kissing him again. When she released him she loudly spoke into his ear.

"I love you." She repeated the words. He nodded and she slowly released the fists full of his shirt.

_You have to choose. _ The voice of the eerily well-informed gypsy woman sounded in Jess head. A reminder of the conversation but more a reminder of how she had been looking for Jack lost in the crowd. What would the gypsy say about the fact that Jack had professed his love first? Would the gypsy know that Jack had always professed his love first? Would that mean something? Jess didn't have time to react or contemplate the thoughts in the comfort of Jack's arms for very long as someone was pulling them apart.

"You made it back! Happy New Year Miss Jess!" Ava was beaming as she gave her friend a hug. Jack was slapping David on the back as the men exchange best wishes for the New Year. The old friends all happily exchanged well wishes. Patrick Conlon had procured a bottle of champagne from somewhere and was happily passing around the bubbly.

Jess met the young Miss Minerva and instantly noticed the girl's beauty. She could feel the familiar jealousy boiling but it was harder to be as mean to this secretary as she had been to Mr. Kelly's last girl.

"I hope you don't mind me saying so, but Mr. Kelly he loves you so…" Miss Minerva whispered like a gossiping schoolgirl to Jess. Jess laughed, many people had told her throughout the years that Jack loved her but never so politely before.

"I don't mind." Jess shook her head accepting a glass of champagne that Patrick was offering. She glanced down to accept the glass and noticed for the first time that David Jacob's hand was protectively around Minerva's delicate hand. Jess started giggling and she winked at David over Minerva's shoulder.

_A strong heart line… _

Jess ignored the nagging memory of the gypsy as she clanked her glass with Jack. He had finally wandered back to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It was too loud to talk much as the band was still playing on the stage. The noise was starting to die down but it was hard to tell past the subtle ringing now in everyone's ears. The band played until half past the midnight hour. By the time the music stopped the square was starting to clear out, slowly as people milled away from the Times building.

"I should be trying to get to Trinity now, before my family leaves…" Minerva timidly stated.

"Let me walk you over there, holiday or not, it's late for a young lady to be walking around alone." David suggested quickly offering his arm again.

"I couldn't ask you to do that Mr. Jac… I mean, David…" Minerva shook her head.

"He's right, it's safer for him to walk you." Patrick encouraged.

"Yes, we are all going to start heading home so it wouldn't be rude for him to leave." Jack laughed.

"Yes, well… of course, you are right Mr. Kelly." Minerva blushed as she took David's arm.

"A delight to meet the girl who's been teaching Jack some manners." Rae Conlon smiled at the girl.

"Oh Mr. Kelly had manners before." Minerva defended.

"Look at this, Kelly has already got you stretching the truth." Patrick laughed.

"Don't mind us, we're just old friends." Ava smiled as Minerva's blush turned a ruby red.

"Yes ma'am."

"Go on Dave before we mortify the girl." Michael yawned. David and Minerva walked away from the group towards Trinity church.

"Didn't even hear the bells tonight, first night I've ever not heard the bells." Jack scratched the back of his head.

"I've never seen so many people in one place, not even at the Trinity celebration as I did tonight." Jess looked around at the thinning crowd.

"It was the party we promised, even if they do sell milk over in that corner…" Michael pointed.

"I miss my baby can we please start our walk back home?" Rae urged the group.

"Did Rae really just ask us all to do something, it sounds so strange without the usual threats…" Jack laughed. Rae glared up at the man as she took the arm her husband offered her.

"I do have this empty champagne bottle…" Rae reached out to grab the bottle from her husband but Patrick waved out away from her.

"Let's not break glass." Patrick sighed at his wife. The group started to slowly walk away from the bright lights and dwindling party of the square. As it was nearing one in the morning, some of the carriages were starting to move into life. Giggling women and men without jackets and twisted ties were starting to stumble out of Hotel Astor.

Jess stared at the corner she knew that she had meet the gypsy on but there was no sign of the mysterious woman. No evidence she had ever existed on the corner but Jess knew she hadn't made it up.

"Are you all right?" Jack nudged Jess. Jess nodded absently at him. Jack frowned but didn't press the subject as Ava was chatting up how wonderful the band had been.

"…And Jack, I wouldn't be surprised if you need to find a new secretary soon." Ava finished with a broad smile.

"Why is that Ava?" Jack asked having missed most of what Ava said before his name. Ava and Rae giggled while Patrick and Michael scoffed.

"Mouth was sure charming that dame." Patrick offered.

"Dave was doing what?' Jack tugged on the sleeves of his jacket impatiently. He wanted to know what was bothering Jess but she was quietly engrossed in her own thoughts.

"David and Minerva were getting cozy." Jess finally sighed and Jack finally understood what everyone was talking about.

"Dave was just being polite." Jack dismissed the notion almost immediately.

"He didn't have to be holding her hand." Jess shrugged.

"Besides you didn't see them while you were off looking for Jess." Michael nodded. The group kept talking about David's blooming relationship as they walked onto a dark and empty street. The trot back to the tenement building was a quiet bit of revelry among old friends. By the time they reached the inside of the small lobby of their building, the conversation was mostly composed of yawns.

"Ava, could you please not come a knocking before the morning edition…" Jack begged as he started to climb the stairs.

"I think I might sleep in tomorrow." Ava yawned back.

"Don't you all forget we're doing supper in our home." Rae reminded. Reaching their hallway the adults trudged into their respective homes muttering their good nights.

Once Jack closed the door behind him he turned to stare at Jess. Jess had settled on the bed and was starring off into space as her fingers worked to get her boots off.

"Want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Jack sighed stepping out of his boots.

His voice forced Jess to turn her head and stare at him. She smiled as he started to shrug out of his shirt.

"Oh nothing." She responded. Jack rolled his eyes at her as he sat down on the bed.

"Did you see the automobile in the square when you went looking for me?' Jack tried. Jess stood to get out of her skirts and shook her head.

"I didn't see much of anything."

"So what were you doing that I couldn't find you?" Jack asked grumpily. His patience was running out, he wanted to know what was on Jess mind. He had spent half the night looking for her the least she could do was tell him what was bothering her.

"I just got caught up in the crowd of Hotel Astor…" Jess started and bit down on her lip at the lie.

"Caught up?" Jack knew there was something she was keeping from him.

"Can we maybe talk about it in the morning?" Jess crawled into the bed with Jack. She rested her head against his chest and waited.

"Stressie…" Jack started.

"Let's not start the new year by arguing…" Jess patted his shoulder with her hand. Jack let out a huff and Jess could feel his heart beating faster.

"You are all right?" Jack asked. Jess nodded.

"Just tired. I have been cleaning all week and I just spent the night in a marketplace dressed as a party." Jess laughed.

"It's not a marketplace anymore." Jack laughed his defense and Jess closed her eyes on his rising chest. The two were quiet until Jess breathing became the deep regulated pace of a sleeper. Jack moved his arm around her and caressed the tips of her hair.

"Sleep well." He whispered to her before closing his own eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: And so my friends there are two chapters left... I hope to have them both up by Christmas but time might get a bit away from me. So just a tad bit of a warning. At least a chapter should be posted by Christmas! Enjoy! <em>


	6. We'll Take a Cup of Kindness

We'll Take a Cup of Kindness

January 1, 1905

Mornings were begrudgingly familiar to Jack Kelly. He recognized the particular shade of blue and then slight pink the sky turned as the sun started rising. He could accurately describe odd morning scent of settling dew drops, baking bread, boiling coffee, stale vomit and laundry water. Nothing about mornings comforted Jack Kelly, except maybe the idea of a new day.

He had never been good at early rising. Years in the lodging house had encouraged Jack's habit of sleeping in until the last possible moment. Even as an adult, junior reporter, Jack still relied on Jess to wake him most mornings. But this morning, the dreamer found he couldn't stay asleep. Maybe it was because Jess kept tossing and turning or maybe it was because he was feeling more anxious than usual. Whatever the reason Jack had given up trying to sleep.

As the sunlight filled his home, Jack blinked the last bit of sleep out of his eyes. He stared at Jess and with a sigh stroked one of her curls away from her mouth. In precise and careful movements, Jack crawled out of bed without waking the sleeping woman.

"What does that mean?" Jess mumbled as she buried her face in the pillow. Jack frowned at her as he jumped into his pants. She had been mumbling all night. Jack rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand as he debated waking her up.

The habitual cry of Genna Conlon convinced Jack to leave Jess asleep. He shuffled over to the small stove and quietly pulled out the coffee to brew. If he was going to be awake so early he needed to have luxury of the bittersweet beverage.

Jack impatiently tapped his fingers against his legs waiting for the water to boil. At first he tried to only stare at the water, as the tiny bubbles started to form on the bottom of the black pot. But that soon grew to boring for the restless man and his eyes started traveling around his home. Everything was so familiar, warm and reminiscent of the life he had started with Jess. Even the oddly crowded space near the bed, the place where Jack knew the crib would have once gone. The few weeks, even months after everything that had happened, he noticed how the one spot became more and more crowded. As if Jess had been trying to push out the suggestion that a crib might have ever fit there.

As Jess crossed his mind, Jack glanced at the woman still twisting in the bed. Curls flying everywhere and her arms tightly wrapped into her torso. She had slept in fits after the last incident with Rip, after she had lost the baby. Jack shuddered remembering how she had been, pale and barely living. It had been just been two months since Jess had started to regain color, go back to being more of her old self again. It had been a painful recovery period, a dark time of their relationship that Jack Kelly hoped never to have to experience again. But the mumbling, the twisting, the wild curls of this morning were making Jack weary.

Jess distracted him enough that by the time he directed his attention back to the boiling water. It was practically bubbling over onto his hands. He sprinkled the coffee grounds into the water until it was a murky color and then allowed the water to bubble for a few more minutes until he reached for a mug. Once Jack started sipping at his coffee, he nervously began glancing between the sleeping Jess and the window. The sun was high enough that there would be papers printed, an early newsie might even be somewhere on the streets already.

Knocking, repeatedly and progressively louder each time, was like shooting guns at a close range in any thin walled tenement building. Rae Conlon was out of her tiny home with a wooden ladle ready to beat a forgetful Jack Kelly.

"What in heavens name are you doing Ava?" Rae demanded with her ladle above her head.

"I've been knocking for…" Ava stuttered nervously. Rae dropped the ladle and glared at the young wife.

"About five minutes, yes we all heard you." Rae sighed.

"No one answered. I am worried…" Ava whimpered stepping up against the wall. Rae Conlon was known for her temper on the crowded fifth floor.

"Kelly is heavy sleeper but Jess would usually wake." Rae frowned at the door behind Ava.

"It's not even that early." Ava nodded. Rae pushed Ava aside and jingled the doorknob loudly enough for Patrick poke his head out of their home.

"Are you two breaking down walls?" Patrick groaned.

"Jess and Jack aren't coming to the door…" Rae growled back at her husband.

"Have you thought they might not be home, dear?" Patrick sighed back.

"It's too early for them not to be home on a holiday." Rae retorted annoyed. Patrick leaned his head against the doorframe and stared at the backs of his wife and Ava.

"Quiet down a second then." He commanded in low voice. Rae turned instantly to glare at the former Brooklyn leader for his tone but even she didn't dare make any noise with her reproach. Patrick Conlon had a tone reserved for situations that brokered no arguments. In the silence all that could be heard was a faint but pronounced disoriented shuffle.

"Jack's not in there." Patrick commented.

"How would you know that?" Rae demanded crossing her arms instantly. Patrick cracked a smile and tilted his head to look down the hall.

Jack Kelly was trudging up the stairs foolishly looking like a pantomime with each over exaggerated step.

"Is Jess not feeling well this morning?" Ava hurried over to Jack. Jack looked over at the crowd around his door confused.

"Good headline there, Jacky boy?" Patrick asked amused by the bewildered look on his old friend's face.

The door behind Rae finally swung open and a disheveled Jess draped in Jack's evening jacket from the night before.

"Do you know where Jack is?" Jess croaked. Jack sensed the distress and moved faster than anyone in the hallway expected he still could.

"Right here, went to get a paper." Jack appeared in front of her. Her fist flew out and hit Jack with enough force that he slightly stumbled into Rae.

"Girl still has a good left hook." Rae laughed as she yawned and leaned against Patrick's shoulder.

"Jess!" Jack whined rubbing his shoulder. The Morning World was tucked under his right arm, ghostly cradled as if there was more than the one copy.

"You weren't here when I woke up…" Jess voice was strained and accusatory. Patrick tilted his head advising not only Rae but Ava, as well, to back away.

"I just needed…" Ava started.

"Come on in here and get what you needed from us today." Rae sighed turning on her heel.

Meanwhile, Jack calmly took hold of Jess elbows before she could punch him again. He gently pushed her back inside and kicked the door behind him with his foot.

"I didn't think you would wake." Jack whispered an apology.

"You weren't here when I woke up…" Jess repeated glaring at him.

Jack rubbed his hand against his forehead not responding to her.

"…And for a newspaper?" Jess reproached.

"You were sleeping and I don't know what's been bothering you…" Jack retorted back defensively.

"And your solution to that problem was leaving to buy a pape, Cowboy?" Jess demanded her fists clutching again. Jack groaned at her tone but he was just as angry as Jess this morning.

"You didn't want to fight last night, but there is no curse that will befall us if we fight today?" Jack partially mocked. Jess lunged at him with her fists but he caught her easily enough. He dropped his paper as she fell into him.

"You left while I was sleeping!" She shouted at him.

"And you wouldn't tell me what was wrong, you promised not to keep secrets." Jack growled back at her.

"I wasn't keeping secrets! Jess argued back.

"What does that mean?" Jack questioned her dropping his guard and letting Jess punch him repeatedly.

"You don't get lost." Jack grunted as Jess hit him in the gut. It was the truth it had been years since Jess Rihan had gotten lost in Manhattan. Jack had taught her long ago how to navigate the city and what he hadn't taught her, Jess had quickly learned on her own.

"Didn't one of your stupid morning papers tell you how many people were in the square last night?" Jess glared up at him.

"Haven't read them yet…" Jack began.

"Now who's lying?"

"All right. All right! I pursued the headlines." Jack huffed through his nostrils. He crossed his arms, effectively protecting his midsection from more onslaughts from his girl. Jess gave up her attack and threw herself at one of their kitchen chairs, clutching tightly to Jack's evening wear that she was still wearing. Jess stared angrily at the ground beneath her and Jack nervously pulled out a cigarette from his pant pocket. The couple stood fuming in silence.

"I am sorry I left you alone." Jack finally conceded. He always was the first to cave in their fights. Jess was shaking in her seat and Jack reacted instantly getting down on one knee and pressing the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Are you ill?" He whispered worried. She shook her head.

"You were gone…" Jess whispered back.

"I am sorry, I didn't want to wake you and didn't think you would wake." Jack almost begged his apology.

"Jack?"

"Hm?" Jack replied leaning his head into her forehead steadying her shaking with his contact.

"Jack?"

"I love you too." Jack grinned at her not removing his resting head.

"Let'sgetmarriedtoday." Jess said the words so quickly she could feel Jack's brow crease.

"Jess?" Jack questioned.

"I want to get married." Jess stated slower.

"You did agree a few months ago, after a bit of trouble." Jack brow was creasing further.

"Today. I want to get married today." Jess repeated more confidently. Jack pushed away from her now, his hands sitting on her knees as he stared into her face.

"It might be difficult to get married today…" Jack sighed scratching the back of his head trying to make sense of the conversation's sudden turn.

"I met a gypsy last night." Jess nervously bit down on her bottom lip.

"A gypsy?" Jack repeated more confused than ever. Jess nodded.

"Near the Astor." She explained. Jack nodded trying to picture a gypsy sitting near the ritzy crowd of the Astor.

"She told me I was at a cross roads." Jess explained further.

"Well near the Astor is a cross roads…"

"Not a real cross roads Jack!" Jess snapped. He shrugged and stared at her expectantly.

"I don't want to lose you."

"Did this gypsy outside of Astor Hotel say you were going to lose me?" Jack asked carefully as if he was afraid of the answer.

"No." Jess stated confidently. "No. I won't lose you. Let's get married today."

Jack smiled brightly and shook his head.

"It's New Year's Day, we can't get married on such a short notice. Rae would never forgive us for ruining her supper…" Jack laughed.

"But Jack…" Jess squeezed his hands in hers.

"Soon. We'll get married soon. Is this what was bothering you, a gypsy?" Jack was trying hard not to smile. Jess playfully smacked his shoulder.

"Have you ever meet a gypsy?' She demanded.

"Not one near the Astor." He mocked back. Before Jess could retort anything back there was a knock on the door. Jack nodded at Jess to pull his jacket closed before he reached back to open the door.

In the hallway stood a tall, dark haired newsboy. He nervously clutched at his stalk of papers as he avoided eye contact with Jack Kelly.

"Can I help you?" Jack stared at the boy.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kelly. Mr. Jacobs sent me to bring you the morning edition of The Sun. Gave me a two bits just for walking it over to youse both. Saying he wanted to make sure Mrs. Kelly there got a good omen on New Year's Day. Something about a dark haired tall stranger…." The newsboy nervously explained. Jack laughed out loud and he looked back at Jess.

"David sent you as a good omen?" Jess questioned.

"Yes ma'am." The newsboy nodded nervously again.

"He paid you for the paper and the delivery?" Jack asked. The boy nodded again.

"And he wanted me to deliver this note." The boy handed over the paper with a ripped note on top. Jack received both items and read the note.

"Are you hungry?" Jess asked the young boy in her doorway.

"David wants us to warn Rae that he's bringing a guest. Who would he be bringing?" Jack muttered to himself.

"I'm all right ma'am." The boy shook his head without looking up.

"Yes. Well, maybe something for later…" Jess stood and scurried to the pot still holding some of the meal from the night before. She reached out for a piece of the old evening edition. She wrapped morsels of food while Jack asked the boy questions about what lodging house he was staying at and how business had been that morning.

Jess pushed a small parcel of food into the boy's hands and smiled broadly at him.

"I didn't mean to be a bother ma'am…" The boy stuttered.

"No bother. I have known more bothersome newsboys." Jess smiled again.

"Try selling down by Central Park." Jack recommended to the young man. The newsboy nodded tucking the food parcel into jacket and scurrying off.

Genna Conlon was squealing in delight as Patrick crawled after her under the table. Jack was stifling his laughter into Jess' shoulder as she sat poised on his lap. The tiny Conlon home was bustling with friends and family.

"Is David bringing that nice girl from last night?" Ava asked excitedly. It was no secret that everyone on the fifth floor hoped a certain young reporter found a match soon.

"Minerva?" Jack asked confused. Jess started to shake from giggling. Jack Kelly was severely blind in matters of the heart.

"Yes, delightful little thing." Michael nodded.

"Dave was just being nice to her." Jack shook his head. Jess winked at Ava and shook her head.

"Weren't you just being nice the day you picked Jess off the streets here?" Michael asked attempting to keep the smirk off his face. Jack frowned as he stared over at his old friend, a friend that had been there the day Jack Kelly had suddenly become some sort of gentleman. Escorting a lady home, Jack could still hear the mocking of his old leader King clearly in his head.

"But she's so…" Jack started.

"Polite? Proper?" Ava suggested.

"Not afraid of him or weak at the knees from his charm. It's something that is a bit hard for the famous Jack Kelly to meet a girl who doesn't react to that smile. Spot use to have the same problem." Rae sighed as she started scooping out Irish stew into bowls. Stew was a popular dish for parties, easy to share without going broke.

"I did not!" Spot shouted indignantly slamming his head against the table as he tried to stand. Genna clapped her hands and gurgled laughter.

"Jack doesn't like it when girls swoon after him anymore, especially not the office girls." Jess' shoulders tensed noticeable. Jack began to rub his hands against the blades of her shoulders instinctively.

"Maybe it's another dame he's bringing…" Jack insisted. But just then the group fell silent, as footsteps grew louder from down the hallway.

David Jacobs led the way, the ease of a smile engulfing his entire demeanor. Jack frowned again surprised to see how his friend suddenly seemed more lighthearted, younger even in 1905. David was in a simple blue shirt, the same kind of shirt that he had worn the first day Jack had ever meet him. Maybe that is why he was looking younger, a hint of apprehension and an air of arrogance could just be associated to the blue shirt.

Or maybe it was because of the girl that slowly, shyly followed him into the warmth of lifetime friends and familiarity of years of struggles. Minerva Charleston was younger the bunch of them and even if she hadn't been her age was much better kept. The roundness of her cheeks and the twinkle of her eyes let anyone who grew up on the street recognize that she had never gone hungry or thrown a punch.

"Happy New Year," David greeted them as he handed Rae a loaf of bread expertly wrapped in damp cloth.

"Did you become a baker in the new year, Mr. Jacobs?" Rae laughed as she accepted his gift. David smiled and a red tint rose to the top of his cheeks as he shook his head.

"My mother made it and I insisted on bringing it." Minerva offered naturally as explanation. The girl never understanding that Rae Conlon, of course, knew David had not learned to bake.

"A pleasure to see you again and know you found your family safely last night." Rae patted the girl on the shoulder and turned back to her stew.

"Miss Minerva that is a splendid shawl, did you do the stitch work yourself?" Ava gushed as she sprang forward to greet the girl.

"Do you ever think Rae and Ava are more polite to strangers than to us?" Jack whispered to Jess. Jess coughed a giggle before flicking a finger against Jack's arm.

"I did Miss Ava," Minerva responded quietly.

"No, no, no. Just Ava. No miss…" Ava clapped her hands excitedly.

"David, thank you for that good omen this morning…" Jess stood up to greet him.

"A good omen that even went so far as calling her, Mrs. Kelly…" Jack winked at his friend as he outstretched his hand.

"I didn't know you were married Mr. Kelly?" Minerva snapped her head up in surprise. The room erupted in laughter at the innocent question. David reached out and delicately took hold of Minerva's fingers in his hand.

"Actually," Jess clapped to get the group's attention. "We do have a bit of news."

Everyone quieted immediately; the word news still inspired attention.

"Jess has been inspired by 1905 to finally become Mrs. Kelly." Jack smiled broadly.

"I thought she agreed to do that sometime in 1904, Kelly. Unless there is something you've been keeping from us?' Patrick jumped up from underneath the table flipping Genna over his arm.

"Would you two shut up for a second," Jess snapped at the two men. Minerva looked at the woman with a mixture of appall and pride.

"You finally settled on a date?" Rae pushed a bowl of stew at her husband and daughter.

"We will get married before the end of the month." Jess nodded. Rae and Ava began snickering.

"That's hardly a date." Ava pointed out.

"No, but it's as much of a date as Jack and Jess are ever going to decide upon. Also so difficult." Rae sighed.

"She wanted to get married today!" Jack held up his hands in defense.

"Was that what the left hook was about this morning?" Patrick swung Genna into Jack's arms easily still balancing the bowl of stew.

"Complicated couple." Michael loudly whispered to the confused looking Minerva.

"Well I am delighted the both of you have some sense of time now, but come let's eat before this get cold." Rae commanded as she passed a bowl to David.

"Ja-Ja!" Genna shrieked at Jack as he threw her up on his shoulders. Ava wrapped her arm around Minerva as if they two were old friends and lead her to a set of chairs. David looked nervously at the two but Michael blocked his way to follow them.

"You going to make Kelly find a new office girl?" Michael patted David on the back.

"Don't bother the man about that yet, let him get smitten with her first." Jess hissed as she smiled over at Ava and Minerva.

"Did you see the pictures of the show at the Times building last night?" David asked Jack trying to avoid the conversation about the girl he brought home. Sometimes his old friends could be worse than his mother about his relationships.

"A Razzle Dazzle affair Jack Kelly talks us into last night." Rae laughed.

"I heard they already started planning for next year, an even bigger and louder affair…" David stated excitedly.

"Are we making plans to be in Times Square next year too then?" Jess smiled.

"Aha!" Jack pointed at her. "You don't think it's a marketplace anymore."

"Oh hush up Kelly and eat your stew." Jess winked at him.

The supper lasted well after the sun set as the young adults enjoyed their leisurely afternoon off on the first day of 1905. Laughing over David's nervous behavior, admiring Minerva's manners, and teasing Jess and Jack. By the end of the night, all the friends were full of hope at the year 1905 being one of their best. Everyone bid their farewells, as Patrick cradled his sleeping toddler in his arms and Rae went so far as to wipe crumbs of food off of Michael's chin.

Jack dawdled in the hallway watching as David and Minerva walked down the hallway. He slowly pressed the door closed only enough that it might appear closed as he watched through the crack.

"What are you doing?" Jess asked. But Jack waved his arm at her to quiet down as he watched as David leaned forward and planted a proper peck on Minerva's cheek. With that he pressed the door completely closed.

"I'm going to need a new office girl." Jack sighed sadly as he stared down at Jess.

"1905, new office girl, new wife… who knows what else might be new?" Jess pushed herself up on her toes and threw her arms around Jack's neck.

But as Jack Kelly kissed Jess Rihan, the old newsboy knew one thing. 1905 had started off well for him and for David Jacobs. Maybe, just maybe, the obsessive cleaning and superstitious raving of Jess Rihan had not been all for naught. Bidding farewell to the old year to bring in the New Year was going to become a Kelly family tradition. Jack just knew it.

* * *

><p><em>To Stress: First, I want to apologize for the final delay in this final chapter. I was trying to decide if it was indeed going to be the last chapter or if I was going to write one more. I decided this was a nice place to end it, it being your world and not mine, I've wandered in it long enough. And second, I AM SO GLAD you have been enjoying it and it has re-inspired your love for your own characters and stories. I knew when I got you that I wanted to write about your series, being a prolific newsies series writer as well for way too many years, I know how sometimes those characters and stories you love and knew so well slip away from you. I loved bringing your world to life, your characters and your relationships into a light that highlighted your writing and your storytelling. <em>_I am thrilled and honored that I have inspired you to revisit those stories! As I am writing the closing chapter to my first and only series, I bid you luck in that endeavor! Merry Christmas (a few weeks late). _


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